The Survival of Hope
by Mewgia Mirrorcoat
Summary: The Dark Ocean kept invading TK's dreams. He wanted to know why. When it actually came for him... 'Even guardians need saving sometimes, TK.'
1. Dream

Disclaimer: I don't own digimon. I also do not own Evanescence, considering it was that group's music that kind of ended up inspiring me to write this entire story.

A/N: In August of 2004, I heard Evanescence's album "Fallen" for the first time. Being the musical and visual person I am, it started inspiring images... mostly concerning all the angst and hardships people have to go through. Of course, I'd already had some ideas of it when I first saw Digimon years ago, and they kind of sprung back up...

So, in a large document containing all the digimon story ideas I've ever thought up, I would jot down random scenes based off of what I had visualized with Evanescence in the background. This story is the compilation of a lot of those, that ended up working very well together.

It's actually very dark for me, considering how much of the stuff I write tends to be fluffy, happy things. I guess one can't always have their mind stuck on what's fun - they have to return to reality sometimes.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the beginning of this story...

* * *

_**The Survival of Hope** _

_Dream_

He hated the darkness. Ever since he had been young, it had haunted him constantly, though none but his own brother knew how deeply it dug into his soul. It had always caused the pain and suffering of those he cared about most, and the deaths of friends. But lately, it had come to be the focus of his nightmares.

And here he was, in another one of them. Somehow, he inwardly knew he was physically asleep, and safe, but still the darkness haunted his dreams. He wandered aimlessly through heavy clouds of black mist, as he heard hard laughter behind him. He let his head whip around, trying to pinpoint the source, but he could see nothing. Blackness flooded his vision, deeming him practically blind; only the barest shapes came through.

He felt the mist cling to him, almost like static wool. The scent of both salt and iron blood came to him, and he shuddered, as he continued forward, his feet plodding down hard on what sounded to be pavement. His heavy steps echoed, almost ringing throughout whatever area it was that he was traveling through, and he stopped. Somehow, his own steps sounded like death knells of a bell.

The cold senses of the mist slowly began to wrap around him, and irritably, he brushed his hands around, trying to dispel the sensation. Instead, he felt something more solid curl around both arms, though still barely touching his skin. Involuntarily shuddering, he tried to move forward again, hopefully away from the almost tangible mist still clinging to his body.

He could barely move his feet from where they stood. His heart racing, he again tried to move from his position, and found himself unable to. He felt his breath leave him in pants and shuddering gasps, and he realized it was hard to inhale. The atmosphere had become musty and humid, the air sticking to his skin and leaving him feeling drenched. Again, he tried to leave his place, to awake himself from this nightmare.

What had curled around his arms became tighter, and more solid. Of it, he could only feel the semblances of something cold, that chilled his blood and made his heart pound stronger in fear.

Slowly, he began to hear groans, as though there were beings dying around him. He let his head twitch and turn sharply towards each moan, as he continued to try to inhale the suffocating air. The atmosphere pressed down upon him from all sides, and his body wavered from side to side as he tried to keep upright.

Then an icy hand grasped his leg, sending chills up his skin. He automatically tried to pull his leg away, but the hand held it firmly. He tried to glance down, to let his gaze pierce through the black veil of the fog that let him view only darkness. He could barely make out a shape of something... almost inhuman. He could see a humanoid figure, though with longer arms and legs, sprawled upon the ground, holding his leg tightly. Somehow, he registered that he had seen it before.

The groans grew louder. More of the creatures appeared, some crawling, others staggering, all moving towards him. He felt energy being drawn from him as the creatures came closer, and again, in vain, he attempted to run. He could now hear the gasping breaths the creatures made as they groaned, and he recoiled from their figures.

The creatures in turn grasped his legs and body, and he struggled as many icy hands reached for his arms, his legs, his neck. He let a cry of distress escape his lips, knowing it was for naught. But somehow, he still had a hope that someone would hear, and he would awaken from the nightmare that was too real.

Then it came, the roar of waves crashing against the shore. The sound made his blood run cold, and he found himself suddenly more fearful than before. The darkness, and the ocean, placed together, created the scope of where he was. The creatures groaning around him and the atmosphere confirmed it.

He suddenly felt freezing water rush over his feet, rising and falling like waves. The wet sensation numbed his body, making the icy cold of the ocean's creatures seem to fade away, though they continued to stay, clasping hard onto him. He felt a roar of frustration and anger escape from him, as he struggled against the grip of the any creatures, the dark mist still clinging to him, and the ocean's cold grasp. The water began to rise, and he felt it come up higher, letting chills creep up his body.

As it rose towards his waist, the dark mist that had held onto his arms for so long suddenly became completely solid. He cried out when he felt the hard clasp of cold metallic bonds holding him still, as sharp pain ran down his arms, branching out down to tingles of static in his fingers. Something wet trickled from his wrist, and again, he could only wait helplessly as darkness clouded his senses completely, manifested as both pressing, choking mist and gripping water of the Dark Ocean.

Then something like a whiplash of air collided with his head.

At once, there was complete and utter darkness, but instead of the cold sounds of the ocean, there was a peaceful quiet, save for the noise of cars driving by and the flapping of wings. There was no more chill of mist, numbness of the ocean, or metal bonds around his arms.

"TK?"

He opened his eyes, feeling thankful for the warmth of his blanket. The air felt clean again, and he inhaled deeply. He found he needed to breathe heavily, and he did so, feeling relief come over him. Then he turned his eyes from the relative dark of the room up towards the flying figure above him.

"It happened again," the figure stated plaintively.

TK nodded as he sat up in his bed. His heart still pounded, and he breathed deeply to try and calm himself. "Yeah. It did. Thank you for the Boom Bubble."

Patamon sighed as he landed on his customary place on TK's head. Then he winced distastefully. "TK, you're all sweaty."

TK took the moment to wipe his forehead. He laughed weakly when he saw that Patamon was right. "Yeah. That too."

Patamon shook his head. "TK, this isn't normal. Tell me what happened this time."

"It was just the same as all the other times, but... I know where it's happening now," TK answered, though he was almost afraid to continue. "It's... the Dark Ocean."

Patamon gasped, leaving an uncomfortable pause. "TK, that's bad," he finally said.

TK again laughed weakly. "Yeah, that it is."

"No, I mean really bad," Patamon poked TK in the forehead to make his point. "You're having dreams about the Dark Ocean! And this has happened for a while now! Don't you think something could happen!"

TK closed his eyes. He was fully aware of what might happen. He remembered when Kari had been taken to the Dark Ocean the first time – she had had dreams about it. And she had become distant, started fading away in class, felt feverish, and in the end she had wandered in the world of Darkness.

With a sigh, he picked up Patamon and held him closely. The two sat for a few moments, upright in TK's bed while the normal sounds of the street floated up through his window. He felt comfort in his partner's warmth, in that he was not alone.

Slowly, he lay back down again, casting a furtive glance at the clock that read "3:52 AM" in an almost teasing manner. He glared at the offending clock as though it were mocking him. Then he pulled the cover up over both himself and Patamon.

Patamon sighed lightly as he snuggled in closer to his partner. "Don't worry, TK. I'm here with you."

TK nodded as he hugged Patamon. But still he was worried. Along moment of silence passed before TK spoke about whatmade him most apprehensive.

"Patamon... do you... think that the Dark Ocean could be after me?"

Patamon didn't answer.

TK knew that both of them were afraid.


	2. Vision

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon... nor do I own whatever that horror thing was that spawned the entire Dark Ocean saga in the actual series.

A/N: Lots of description, a mature Davis, a hint of possible romance that will stay a hint throughout the entire story, and probably lots of questions once this chapter is over. I will try to make things more clear as chapters continue. If there are any questions, send them to me via review and I will try to answer them. I don't answer reviews normally, but I'll make an exception if it's a good question that will help enlighten other readers. I'm used to characterizing everyone in somewhat humorous ways, so I'm doing the best I can for this story. In this chapter... well, I'll let you read to find out.

Note as of 06/11/2005: A reader by the name of DTV has pointed out a continuity error. This is because originally the third chapter was going to take place later in the day of the second chapter, but I ended up changing that in a later draft. However, I did not fix that in this chapter. So, I've fixed that error. Thanks, DTV!

* * *

**_Vision_**

_I'm going to tell Kari... I'm going to tell Kari..._

TK calmly walked up to the school building, Patamon safely in his backpack ready to jump out into a nearby bush. He watched as Yolei and Cody quickly entered the school building, having let their digimon partners out of their bags a couple blocks earlier, but he had earlier made the decision not to follow, but to wait for another friend. He yawned as he rubbed his eyes, trying to make himself feel awake.

Even since the revelation that the dream he had was taking place in the Dark Ocean, TK had decided he needed to let someone know. He had thought that Kari and Ken were the best people to talk to first, because of their experience there, but of course he didn't have daily contact with Ken, and with Kari...

"Hi TK! You look tired today," Kari strode up to him with a smile on her face. Her backpack wiggled in a slight gesture of hello as well.

TK nodded. He returned the smile. "Yeah, I haven't been sleeping well lately," he answered.

_Okay, I should tell Kari…_

He looked around, suddenly noticing the presence of many other students rushing to class. He felt nervous, and unsure of how he should give the news of his dream. He wanted to tell Kari in private, not in plain view of everyone, but now that he thought about it, he realized there was very little chance of doing so. Class was starting soon, meaning he probably did not have enough time to explain to her everything what was happening. During the day, Kari was always surrounded by her many female friends, or being accompanied by other Digidestined. In fact, he did not know when he would be able to catch her alone so he could speak with her.

Inwardly, TK knew he should just tell Kari, but he decided he would put it off until later.

He only hoped that he could survive school for that long.

"I'm so tired though... I just hope Mr. Hamasaki doesn't kill me for falling asleep in class," TK finally stated, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He surreptitiously unzipped his backpack, purposely letting it fall down towards a bush. In the pretense of picking it back up, TK carefully helped Patamon out of the bag, and Patamon took the opportunity to jump into the bush.

Kari carefully did the same thing with Gatomon, and then with her bag safely on her shoulder, she glanced at TK with a smile. It was then that TK reversed his earlier decision, and opened his mouth to confess to Kari about his nightmares of the Dark Ocean. After all, Kari had always trusted him when it came to such matters, and the feeling of trust was mutual between the two of them.

"Actually Kari, there is a reason that I've been having trouble sleeping..." he began, taking a deep breath, ready to explain.

Kari turned to him with a bit of concern on her face. She always knew when there was something wrong, especially when it had to do with a close friend, and she could tell immediately that with TK, whatever was happening was something important enough that it needed to be told. "What's the reason? It's nothing too bad, is it?"

"Well - "

"HEY! HURRY UP YOU TWO, WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" shouted a voice as a familiar boy with goggles whizzed past them, and a blur of blue and white popped away from him and into the bushes. With that, Davis sprinted inside and disappeared into the school building.

TK and Kari looked at each other. If Davis was running late, then it certainly meant that they themselves might be running late too. With a sigh, TK began to jog up towards the building, motioning to Kari as he went. "I guess I'll tell you later," he replied resignedly.

Kari followed him, answering as she went. "Tell me soon though. Or just answer: does it have to do with anything digital?"

TK turned his head back slightly, catching her gaze with the corner of his eye. Slowly, he nodded, before rushing into the building along with the last few stragglers heading for class.

* * *

He had never enjoyed math, and added with the monotonous voice of Mr. Hamasaki, the many drills, and his own need for sleep, TK wanted nothing more than to leave class. He had been sitting in his seat, attempting to take notes, but his drowsiness kept taking a hold of him, making it an effort to keep his eyes open. He'd started keeping one eye open while resting the other eye, in an attempt to stay awake. The last thing he wanted do was incur Mr. Hamasaki's wrath. 

Of course, letting one eye sit closed also meant he was slowly giving into his sleepiness.

Still trying to keep his back straight and give an impression of attentiveness, TK slowly began pinching himself to try and keep awake. He was beginning to notice that he could not focus on the lesson, and instead was blanking out every few minutes. When pinching brought no help, he began trying to wring and massage his hands, trying to keep his mind busy. He unthinkingly picked up his pencil and began poking his arm with it.

He had never been so tired before, not even when he had spent whole nights staying up while fighting in the Digiworld. In the back of his mind, he wondered how his nightmares could have caused him to enter this state. Quietly, he noticed that everything around was becoming misty, and he tried to fight the urge to put his head down and sleep...

Wait, misty?

TK saw how everything that had started becoming blurry was now misting up as though fog was spreading around the room. In fact, it seemed to be circling around him, cutting off his vision and separating him from his classmates.

_I'm falling asleep aren't I?_ he thought, trying to dispel any feelings of discomfort and worry. _Yeah, that's it. I'm falling asleep and starting to have that dream about the Dark Ocean again. Okay then, wake up..._

He poked himself with the pencil, sighing as the fog dissipated slightly. He tried his best to concentrate on the board in front of him, making a distinct effort to pay attention. TK was happy to see the fog slowly fade, as he tried to make himself stay awake. Carefully, he leaned forward, forcefully taking notes and focusing his mind on every single word that Mr. Hamasaki was saying.

Angrily, he dug his pencil into his paper, making a very thick dot. _This isn't fair. Why does this darkness keep coming after me? Why did it come after Kari? Does it feed off of the shadows that our feelings of light create? _He gritted his teeth, grinding his pencil down without really paying attention to it, though out of the corner of his eye, he glanced over to Kari, who was sitting a few seats down in front of him. _Darkness always caused the problems we had to face in the Digiworld. All the villains used it – it turned Ken into the Digimon Emperor, and took Patamon away. And now it's after me. This really bugs me. I just wish – _

There was a slight crack, and the tip of the pencil broke clean off.

With a heavy sigh, TK dropped the pencil on his desk, aware that he had just made a small hole in his paper from the pressure he had put on it. His sudden outburst of anger had heightened his senses, making him feel awake and aware.

But then suddenly, the fog came back. It swirled around thicker than ever, cutting him off from the entire classroom, until he could no longer see any other forms of life, or the familiar room for that matter. He felt something wet beneath him, and he could smell the salty air of the ocean. In the distance, waves crashing against a shore, and a dark breeze whistled past. In shock, he looked down, and saw that his feet were covered in water.

_Oh no... _

TK tried to move from where he was, to get up and run, to leave his desk and the accursed math class, to escape from the Dark Ocean that was trying to take him, anything that could help. But he found he was unable to, bound to his seat by some other force. He tried to call out, but no sound came from his throat, despite the air he was expelling from his lungs. Somehow, he was trapped where he was, helpless and afraid.

_Help! Someone!_ He thought desperately, trying to reach out in some way back to the classroom, where sat two people who understood exactly what was happening. But both of them were sitting in front of him today, and only one of them could possibly see if he was disappearing. He could remember when Kari had begun disappearing in class, and he was fully aware that the same was probably happening to him.

Although it did not occur often any more, panic began to well in his chest. He began soundlessly yelling for someone to come, his thoughts turning in loops in his head.

_Kari, Davis! Turn around! Wake me up or something! _He tried to hold onto the idea that he was in a dream, though the thought proved to be futile. _Please! Help me..._

_Help me..._

"TK!"

The voice rung out, echoing throughout the realm, but the grey panorama of the world did not fade back into the colorful palette of the classroom. The murky waters swirled around his feet, growing higher to consume him. He still could not move; he could only stare in horror as the water level rose.

"TK!"

The voice again. TK was unable to identify it, but he could tell it was fainter this time, and it did not echo with the same tone or essence as before. The water had reached his waist now, and it did not cease its relentless swelling around him. Vaguely, he could smell iron in the water, and he continued to stare down, feeling numb to the cold flow swirling about him. Suddenly though, he noticed something he had never seen before.

The water was tinted red.

"Come on TK! Wake up!"

The voice sounded concerned, urgent. But even now, it was becoming distant, almost like a fading memory that slowly died away. The water swirled even higher, a wave coming by and splashing over TK's head. He coughed, feeling it rush past him, as the cold ocean came in to swallow him whole.

"NO! TK!"

Suddenly, a bright flash of light enveloped him, and the chill that had sunk to his bones in the ocean quickly diminished, replaced by gentle warmth, given by a welcoming radiance. At once, he realized his eyes were closed, and he was not in a sitting position, but rather lying on cold, tile floor.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, realizing it took a great deal of effort to do so. Above him stared three faces, all worried and concerned. Mr. Hamasaki was worried about his student, Davis about his good friend, but Kari's face showed the most apprehension and seriousness of the situation. Her face was pale white, and she had a firm hand tightly gripping TK's left shoulder, as though afraid that he might disappear.

"Are you all right, TK?" Mr. Hamasaki asked, helping ease the boy up into a sitting position.

TK breathed deeply, clutching his head with one hand. "I... I don't know."

Mr. Hamasaki sighed, seemingly relieved that TK had at least woken up. "I want you to head straight to the nurse's office. Kari and Davis can go with you in case you faint again. I'm going to excuse you from class for the rest of the day as well."

Kari and Davis both helped TK into a standing position, Kari still not relenting her tight grip on TK. TK looked up at his teacher, bowing his head slightly and saying, "Thank you," as sincerely as he could.

He took the moment to glance around the room, happy to see that all had been as he had last seen it, with other students still in their seats, although most of them were looking in his general direction, with worry written across their faces. With a weak smile, he slowly trudged out the room, supported by his two close friends.

The moment they were down the hall a bit and the door to the classroom had closed, Davis socked TK in the side of the head. "Don't do that to me!" he yelled, as TK staggered back in shock. "If something is wrong, you need to tell us right away, okay? You don't just faint from not sleeping!"

TK realized that Davis must have heard him talking to Kari earlier that morning before whizzing past them. He sighed as he gingerly touched the hit spot. "Okay," he answered quietly, still shaken up by the intrusion of the Dark Ocean.

Kari had not released her grip on TK, and she placed a hand on Davis' shoulder, trying to calm him down. "This is beyond not sleeping. And punching TK's head is not going to help."

TK just shook his head, unsure of anything. He involuntarily shivered, the feeling of the cold ocean welling up above him still lingering in his memory. "I... don't even know what happened," he said, not sure if he should tell either of his two friends about what he had gone through in that small space of time.

"Mr. Hamasaki called on you, looking a little surprised and irritated, and you didn't answer," Kari began, shaking a little. "At that point, we all turned to look at you, and you were just... sitting there, staring into space."

"Yeah," Davis continued, turning slightly red from Kari's touch, but otherwise not showing any other emotion besides worry for TK. "And then you collapsed and fell out of your seat. Mr. Hamasaki ran up to you, so did me and Kari at the same time, and we couldn't wake you up." At this point, Davis' voice began quivering slightly. "You – you seemed like you were – dead or something, you were all cold, and..."

He trailed off, suddenly silent. TK suddenly realized that Davis was paler than usual, and he had sweat beading down his forehead. He breathed irregularly, as though trying to hold back something, and his eyes reddened slightly.

Then Kari interjected, her voice shaking and sounding almost desperate. "No, there's more, I don't know if you saw it Davis, but I did." She gave TK a penetrating stare, as if reading right through his mind and knowing what had happened in his state of unconsciousness. "TK, you saw things, didn't you? Mist, water, fog? Is this what you were going to tell me this morning?"

As Davis blinked in confusion from the sudden change of subject, TK nodded dumbly.

Kari, with a set stance, continued to hold tightly onto TK. "You were fading."

TK felt his heart sink, knowing very well what that meant. Slowly, he let out a breath of tension, feeling unsteady on his feet and wobbling slightly. The sensation of floating in the water had come over him, making him feel as though he were moving slowly and in a trance, with great effort.

Kari never let go, but Davis quickly jumped forward, wrapping his left arm around TK to support him. Kari took the other shoulder, and carefully, the threesome moved down the hall towards the nurse's office.

TK had never felt so rubbery and out of breath in his life. He felt thankful for the support of his two friends, wondering what would have come of him had he not had them by his side. He somehow knew that without them, he would not have been able to move forward, especially because in the back of his mind, he could hear the waves pulling him back.

Davis still had a confused look on his face, obviously unsure of what had passed between TK and Kari. TK stared at the ground while he let his feet slowly pad forward, feeling the heavy clomp of his shoes against the tile floor. The only sounds he should have been hearing were the footsteps of the threesome, but he could still hear wind and distant waves. Involuntarily, he shuddered.

Kari's head snapped towards him, eyes filled with concern and fear for him. She held onto him, and a feeling of warmth and light flowed over TK, basking him in comfort and a sense of safety. Then suddenly, he knew who had pulled him from the Dark Ocean earlier.

He smiled, turning his head to Kari. "Thank you for saving me earlier."

Kari blinked, then nodded in understanding.

Davis finally lost his patience. "What is this? What's going on, I want to know what's wrong!"

TK and Kari's eyes met for a brief moment, before they silently came to a mutual agreement. Kari broke eye contact to give Davis a piercing stare of fear. "It's the Dark Ocean, Davis. It's after TK."

Davis immediately stopped walking, his face showing that his mind was reeling in shock. His mouth dropped open, eyes widening and rolling around fearfully at the simple mention of the place. Slowly, he began to speak in a stuttering voice. "You... you mean that place where... we sealed away Daemon?" At a nod of confirmation from the other two, Davis let his gaze fall to the floor as he narrowed his eyes angrily.

"Damn it! First Ken, then you Kari, and now TK..." he tightened his fists, scowling and stomping slightly as they continued down the hall. "If anything, we've gotta find a way to stop this!"

TK stayed silent, only reflecting and unsure of what his thoughts were anymore. He felt thankful for the support and anger of Davis, for wanting to help him, yet had no idea how to respond. Somehow, he was just too tired, feeling a need to collapse.

Inwardly, he thought that something was wrong. Being sleep deprived did not make one want to collapse, unless the person hadn't slept in days... but his nightmares had only begun a few days earlier, and they did not last the entire night.

The distant sound of waves reached him again, and memories of the cold air and biting metal rose up in him. Swallowing back a sudden acrid taste in his mouth, he tried to ignore the darkness weakening him, focusing on Kari's light.

Everything had turned symbolic, all of a sudden. Blinking in surprise, TK let his eyes wander the hall. He saw the clouds of darkness surrounding them, following their every footstep as though seeking a chance to dive in and attack their target. Yet where Davis was stood a glow of a deep, warm gold, pushing away some of the clouds. And where Kari was beside him, appeared a blinding white light, though tinted with a shade of pink. If the golden glow of Davis had pushed off a few the wisps and clouds, then Kari's light was the bane of the darkness, making the hazy swirls of black fog shrink back in pain and fear. And he could barely see himself, something that had once been a bright yellow beam, but was now flickering, as though the darkness could overcome it.

He had no idea how this had happened.

TK squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head vigorously before opening his eyes again. Everything had gone back to normal. _Weird..._

He barely heard a door open, as Kari said softly, "We're here, TK."

He glanced up and indeed, saw the sign posted that marked the nurse's office. With a sigh of relief, he let his friends gently lead him inside, as he was in too much of a daze to walk in himself. He paid no attention as Davis left his side momentarily to inform the nurse of what had happened, padding towards the closest bed and collapsing directly into it with the loud "Whomph!", together with a creaking of a few springs.

Kari pulled up a stool and set it next to TK's bed, not moving her gaze from his prone body. She carefully sat down upon it, a sad gaze on her face as she carefully tugged the blanket out from under him and began covering him with it.

TK felt thankful for the gesture, turning on his side to meet Kari's gaze. He gave her a gratifying smile, before burying his head into the pillow and closing his eyes. Feeling a sense of security, he let himself rest, feeling able to sleep peacefully...

The last thing he saw before falling into a dreamless sleep was the sudden vision of Kari atop Nefertimon, glowing in contrast to a dark sky, diving down towards a fathomless ocean to greet a half submerged figure who was abruptly bathed in a calm light.

Beside TK, Kari gently stroked his arm, having finally let go earlier. His body felt cold in comparison to hers, and she shuddered, remembering her own experiences with the Dark Ocean and being able to only sympathize with TK for what he was going through.

A gentle hand touched her shoulder. "Kari, I'm going back to class. D'you wanna stay here?"

Kari nodded, not looking behind her. "Yeah. He needs to rest, but I want to be close to him if anything starts happening..." Then she glanced up. "You seem to be fine with it, for once," she added, a slight tinge of playfulness in her eyes. Despite what was happening, she still wanted to keep a slight sense of optimism about her, something that TK had always done in the past, unless the situation was too grave.

Davis sighed with a concerned glance at TK's figure. "I know, I know, you two are great friends, and so it's natural." He emphasized the word 'friends' in a way that normally would have made Kari giggle and roll her eyes. "But knowing all that crest stuff..." he became oddly thoughtful for a moment, "I think it's for the best."

Then he suddenly shook off the moment as though it had never happened, though he still had the gaze of being worried. "Anyway, I'll tell Mr. Hamasaki about you being here, and I'll also take notes for both of you. You just let me know how TK's doing, and see if there's any way for the rest of us to help."

With that, he grinned with his trademark sense of cockiness and left, leaving Kari surprised at Davis' frankness. She had no idea what to think, except that maybe Davis had finally matured a bit...?

Slowly, she turned back to TK, resting peacefully in the bed. She hoped that just her presence would be enough to keep him momentarily safe from any sorts of darkness following him.

Somehow though, there was a feeling in the back of her mind that told her his real experience with the Dark Ocean was soon to come... and it would be very different from her own.


	3. Breakdown

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: I've kind of been just writing a little at a time for a while, ever since I last updated this... and now since I had some time, I decided to finish up the chapter. Okay, so not that much is happening, but it'll certainly outline one of the main events of the story...

And as I have realized over the past couple months (while not slaving away at homework and college related stuff), this story may be open for sequels later on.

Okay, random stuff aside. Slight normality, definite angst, and any plot holes will be explained in the next chapter or so. The explanations just didn't fit in the context of this chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

_Breakdown_

Ever since the day TK had fainted in class, Kari and Davis refused to leave their friend by himself at any moment. If Kari and Davis could not be close to him, Patamon or either Gatomon or Veemon would keep him company instead.

Normally, TK would have been annoyed at such treatment, but now he welcomed it. With the presence of other people, particularly Kari, the darkness that seemed to flit at the edge of his vision withdrew and spiraled away. But there was always the slight tingle in back of his neck that told him it still existed.

None of the other Digidestined had been told about the Dark Ocean problem, as TK did not want eleven people and twelve digimon constantly hounding him, making sure that some evil being was not about to drag him off to the other world. He also had no wish to turn anyone else into a target, or involve them in something that might only need some time to solve. Of course, if things became too serious...

He shook his head, as he blankly stared out the open window of the computer lab, awaiting the arrival of the other Digidestined. Kari was already there, sitting in a chair close to him turning on a computer monitor. She leaned back, waiting for the computer to boot up. Slowly, her eye caught TK's. "Something wrong, TK?" she asked concernedly, before cracking a slight smile. "Besides the obvious problem."

TK leaned forward to rest his elbows on the windowsill. He let his head sit atop his folded hands, still gazing ahead. "Not really. Just the usual."

Kari nodded in understanding. "Okay." Then she paused for a moment, before a gentle look of concern crossed her face. "Has anything changed?"

TK sighed, not looking back. "It's getting worse. Almost like it's getting desperate or something," he answered morosely, his eyes becoming unfocused as his mind wandered.

For a moment, he paid attention to nothing, wanting to check the presence of the darkness following him. A slight mist drew up before his eyes, and a far away scream echoed in his ears, coupled with the scent of iron and salt.

He forcefully blinked, shaking his head and refocusing his eyes on the familiar figures walking below in the school courtyard. He blankly waved, grinning lazily as though nothing was wrong besides his obvious need for sleep. Then he turned his head back towards Kari.

"Yeah," TK repeated quietly. "It's worse."

Kari shook her head. "Then something's wrong. It's been two weeks, TK, and you said your dreams had been going on for even longer."

TK gave a mirthless laugh. "Then the Dark Ocean really wants me, huh?"

In all respects, the entire Dark Ocean problem was beginning to irk him. He had no idea how he had lasted so long against it, and now he just wanted the ordeal to end. In a way, he felt like he had to find some way to deal with the supernatural forces after him.

Kari, always watchful and perceptive, could tell what TK was thinking. "We'll find a solution," she stated clearly, standing from her chair and moving forward to place a hand on TK's shoulder. "Do you think we should tell the others?"

It was a question she had asked him the week before after a particularly vicious nightmare during an afternoon nap. TK had answered no that time. Now he was unsure.

After a short pause, he finally answered truthfully, "I don't know. I..." he suddenly wavered, but decided to go through with his feelings. "What's happening... it feels like something almost personal that I don't want to tell anyone, though I should. I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't. And if I do. I don't want to needlessly involve people... or get someone hurt in the process. But I know that this entire problem is serious. And I can't do it alone."

Kari released her hold on TK's shoulder to hug him from behind. TK welcomed the comforting warmth of her body, reaching a hand up to gently grasp one of her arms wrapped about him.

"You're not alone," Kari answered. "At least Davis and I are here with you. Same with Patamon, Gatomon, and Veemon."

For some reason, the image of Angemon glowing, slowly disintegrating from below, floated into his mind. TK remembered the incident all too clearly; the frozen point of shock, the disbelief, the short moment of grief that felt like eternity at the time.

"I just... don't want those who care about me to get hurt," he said, lowering his head slowly while still holding onto Kari's arm.

"It's because we care about you that we're willing to," she replied, hugging him tighter.

TK did not feel any relief from her sentence. "Still..."

At that moment, the sound of a door sliding open reached both Kari and TK's ears. They both let go at the same time, TK standing fully upright and both turning towards the door.

Davis grinned at the two of them from the doorway, as four teenagers looked over his shoulders into the room. "Well, keep going," he put off lightly, casually placing his hands behind his head as he marched over to the fully booted up computer.

The others stared at him. Finally, Tai asked, "Davis, you're not worried?"

Davis turned around to face the others. "Why would I be? As long as Kari's with TK, I'm happy."

Tai, Matt, Sora, and Izzy looked stunned at Davis' statement. TK and Kari just turned to each other and blinked.

Then it hit the two of them. Davis was not talking about romance. He was referring to the fact that TK needed Kari with him to help repel the darkness.

The four older Digidestined had no idea what to think, as they had not been informed of the circumstances surrounding TK at the moment. Instead, they seemed to think otherwise. Each of them had a very confused look upon their face, and the three involved in their own love triangle gave each other surreptitious glances.

Davis simply ignored them and hummed to himself, logging onto the computer and setting up the Digiport.

It occurred to TK that Davis was being abnormally cheerful for more reasons than one. The goggle boy had respected TK's request that no one else be informed of the Dark Ocean problem, and had also dropped his usual flirting with Kari (which had started to become more of a silly joke from him the past few months anyway). What Davis had said earlier further emphasized it. And so Davis had put on a mask to hide his deep concern for everything.

TK also had one, for much the same reason. Day in and out, he smiled and greeted everyone like normal, acting like the usually cheerful and optimistic person he was. He ignored the cold feelings of darkness that followed him everywhere, pretending it didn't exist and he was his perfectly happy self. It had been with the help of Patamon and Davis for the most part that he was able to keep up his charade, while Kari had been somewhat disapproving of the fact that he had hidden what was wrong with him.

Inside, he almost wanted to stop pretending, face the darkness, and get everything over with so that he could honestly return to acting normal.

"So... uh..." Matt began, unsure of how to put everything. Then he turned to TK with a casual smile. "How's everything been going?"

"Fine," TK lied. He wanted to say 'Not so great, evil has chosen me as its target,' but his pretense of normality overcame his desire to express what really bothered him.

Kari glanced over to Davis, and knowing the thoughts running through the heads of the older Digidestined, let out a giggle that TK knew had been forced. She caught TK's eye; both smiled apologetically.

Tai and Matt stared at the two, then turned to each other with wide eyed expressions. Sora finally sighed and came between the two, giving a look of "I told you" to both of them.

At that, Kari, TK, and Davis burst out laughing.

TK didn't know why they did it. It seemed that the situation was silly and innocent, especially in comparison to what had been happening concerning the Dark Ocean. Kari and Davis both felt the same way apparently, having been worried over TK's well being and everything included since his fainting in class two weeks previously.

Again, the older Digidestined stared at the three younger ones, confusion still written on their faces, although the initial shock was beginning to fade.

Keeping up the charade, TK leaned a little closer to Kari and put his arm around her shoulders, as he had seen Matt do often with Sora. He made sure to give Davis a slightly pointed look, which to his relief, the goggle wearing boy noticed and the older Digidestined didn't. Davis just gave back a goofy grin, similar to one Tai gave every so often when Matt and Sora were hanging out together.

Without warning, the three of them burst out into laughter again.

"What's wrong with you guys? You keep laughing!" Izzy remarked, making his way over to the computer to locate their digimon partners in the Digiworld.

"Nothing, nothing," Davis answered, trying to stop himself from laughing again by holding his stomach.

The three of them needed the laughter though, especially concerning what they knew about the darkness. Somehow, the mistaken idea of romance seemed extremely funny to them.

Finally, TK came to a decision, as he and Kari held each other in attempts not to burst out laughing again.

"We're kind of hysterical right now, sorry," Kari gasped, smiling abnormally widely and gripping TK's shoulder.

Tai was the one who announced his first concern. "Aren't you guys a bit... young?"

All their previous attempts to stop laughing failed. Davis collapsed into a chair as he let out hearty guffaws, while TK actually began to fall to the floor, Kari supporting him, all the while laughing.

The other four stared. "You know, it's not _that_ funny," Sora commented, lifting both eyebrows.

TK wiped a tear from his eyes, bright red from the exertion that came with using up all the air in his lungs by laughing. "It's just funny how you guys are so concerned about a relationship that doesn't quite exist yet," he answered, finally managing to stand straight again. The older Digidestined looked both surprised and relieved. "Anyway, we should tell Ken."

At that, the others in the room gave TK some more looks of confusion. "Ken? What do we need to tell Ken?" Kari asked, letting go.

TK, who still had his arm around Kari slightly, delicately tapped her shoulder so that the others wouldn't notice. Then he lifted his other arm and in the pretense of scratching his neck, patted it slightly. Then he dropped his cheerful expression to one of seriousness for a split second, before returning back to the original position.

Kari and Davis both got the hints immediately. With a nod of understanding, Kari picked up her D3 to open the gate.

"Just something funny we did to him a few weeks ago," Davis put in, turning to glance up and down the screen. "By the way," he added, "The digimon are all in the Digiworld, and Ken and Yolei are too. Cody said he was coming with Joe later."

Sora nodded. "And Mimi should be coming soon too, via the American Digiport."

Happy that the older Digidestined did not seem suspicious of them, TK in turn unclipped his D3 from his belt and prepared enter the Digiworld. All together, the group of Digidestined prepared for the journey through the gate.

Davis was the one who shouted it, as the screen flashed.

"Digiport Open!"

------

It had been the plan of the day in that the entire group would spend the day in the Digiworld, checking on reconstruction of various areas as well as the well being of the different digimon in the world. Afterwards, they would come together for an evening picnic coupled with a soccer game. TK had felt distracted throughout the entirety of the first part, unable to do much more than smile and nod without blurting out his feelings. It had been the first time he had come to the Digiworld in the past two weeks, and although he enjoyed every single visit and there were no longer any threats, somehow the feeling of darkness had gotten significantly stronger.

The only things that kept him sane were Patamon, who sat on his head at all times, Davis and Veemon, whose antics uplifted his spirits, and Kari and Gatomon, who knew exactly what was happening to him and thus stayed with him constantly. Even more so, the sensations of light that came from Kari were much stronger in the Digiworld, making the darkness shy away.

Remembering the strange symbolic vision he had seen two weeks earlier, TK tried to think about what it would look like now, as he sat on the grass of the field. He was sure Kari and Davis were the same, albeit maybe even stronger. He could only guess that some sort of darkness was clinging to him, trying to overcome the flickering glow of his own crest light.

For a sudden moment, he saw the auras again. Blinking in surprise, TK glanced around the field, easily recognizing different Digidestined from what color they were glowing. There was Sora, a deep red... Matt was close by, with a strong blue surrounding him... Joe was a soft white, and a green glow came from Mimi...

Taking a chance, TK looked down at himself. To his surprise, his own aura was a steady yellow, definitely much stronger than when he had last seen it. He sighed in relief, leaning back slightly and glancing around to see if he could identify if bursts of black came...

He caught sight of a particularly malicious looking dark cloud, and decided to ignore it.

Closing his eyes hard and shaking his head vigorously, he brought his mind back to the present and the material world.

"Something happen, TK?" Patamon asked from atop his head.

TK wanted to smack himself. He'd forgotten that Patamon had perched up there.

"Yeah, that aura thing I told you about," he answered. He had only told Patamon what he had seen according to the glows of Kari and Davis.

At that moment, Tai ran up over the copse, across the field and into the center. He held a soccer ball under one arm, while grinning with a whistle around his neck. "Hey everyone! We're having the soccer game now!"

TK sighed, and got up, jogging lightly towards Tai. The others around the area did so as well, Yolei and Mimi abandoning the picnic sight to join everyone. Mimi had arrived last, since she technically had to come overseas in order to join them, but travel through the Digiworld certainly made things like intercontinental travel much easier.

As everyone gathered around Tai, TK had to smile at the sense of command that Tai held. No matter how old he became, it never changed the fact that he had been the first Digidestined leader, a position which already gave him a lot of respect. Inwardly though, TK wondered if Tai had ever experienced the same sort of darkness that Kari had. TK knew that Matt and Sora had once, since he himself had been present when he, Matt, and Joe pulled Sora back out of her despairing cave during their first adventure. Somehow, the voice in the back of his head told him he should inform the two of what was happening to him. TK was still unsure though; he had made the decision to tell Ken, and for now he hoped it was enough; but then again, Matt was his older brother, whom he could trust...

"Okay, gather 'round, Digidestined!" Tai called, grinning with his trademark smile. It was much the same as Davis', TK noticed, only Tai's was much more mature and experienced. "Since it's still afternoon and it's not dinnertime yet, we're going to skip straight to the soccer part."

"That's because you're a soccer player," Matt pointed out, folding his arms across his chest.

Tai looked indignant. "Hey, so are Davis and Ken. Sora's like a retired soccer player. Hell, TK might even have been a soccer player had he chosen soccer instead of basketball!"

At that, TK grinned, while Davis turned and stuck his tongue out at his friend. The others laughed.

Then Agumon raised a claw. "Hey Tai, this is that sport you were obsessed with back during our first adventure, right?"

"He still is," Sora rolled her eyes playfully, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.

"I recall getting trapped under a soccer goal actually, after which we found Joe's crest..." Izzy suddenly interjected, looking very thoughtful.

Tai coughed. "Anyway, since we're all here, let's divide up into teams. So everyone pair up with someone you think is your equal when it comes to soccer."

There was some shuffling around as various people moved, trying to find people they thought matched them in terms of soccer abilities. Patamon flew off of TK's head to pair up with Tentomon, who like him could fly, but not do much else, much less kick. TK wandered, unsure of who to choose, as he watched Ken match up with Tai and Davis end up with the still formidable Sora. Shrugging, TK walked straight up to Matt, staring up into the icy blue eyes of his brother.

Matt glanced down, smiling coolly back into the same shade of eyes. "So hey, TK," he said, "How's life?"

TK shrugged casually, placing his more truthful answer in the back of his head. "Fine," he answered, suddenly wondering if he should be honest with his brother.

Matt tilted his head to one side, examining TK carefully with a concerned look. TK understood why; he probably looked pallid and tired, with bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. He still had lots of nightmares. "You look like you haven't really been sleeping," Matt commented.

TK sighed, not enjoying the fact that he was lying straight out to his brother. "I don't know what's wrong, it's like I'm just becoming a plain insomniac."

"Hmm."

Matt narrowed his eyes slightly and lifted a hand, to feel TK's forehead. TK blinked. "Matt, I'm not sick!"

Matt dropped the hand. "I just want to check," he shrugged, before grinning. "Remember, I am your older brother, and so I have the authority to look after you," he answered, shaking a finger at TK.

At that, TK had to laugh. "Yeah, like you were really 'granted the authority.' It's what you do."

Matt chuckled as well. "Well, that's what big brothers are for, right?"

The two laughed together for a brief moment while the others continued pairing up. Then, as things began to settle down around them, Matt's expression turned slightly serious.

"TK, if something is ever wrong, let me know all right? Because that's what I'm here for, to help you when you need it."

TK looked up to Matt, suddenly noticing the hard, icy stare of concern he had grown so accustomed to during the first adventure of traveling in the Digiworld. He felt his throat go slightly dry as he realized that Matt knew something.

Matt took a deep breath. He glanced around to make sure no one was paying very close attention, and turned back to TK, making a strong eye contact and speaking softly. "I can tell that something's up. Mom told me about the sleep problem last time I visited, and I heard that you fainted in school two weeks ago too. You just don't seem like the kind of person that would find it hard to sleep at night, because I know for a fact that you are a pretty heavy sleeper." He sighed, looking down slightly. "I know that as a Digidestined, you've experienced a lot and there are things I shouldn't be butting into, but as your brother, it's my responsibility to give you the support when you need it."

Matt focused his concentrated gaze into TK's eyes again, and TK could see the concern and worry, the same kind that Kari and Davis had for him now. There was almost a pleading quality to it.

"So..." Matt paused, unsure of how to go on, especially with the others giving Tai their attention. Then he quickly leaned down and whispered, "I won't push you, but I want to know what's going on, and what I can do to help."

TK felt a sense of guiltiness wash over him. His brother had always done what he could to watch over him, even though the two of them were separated by the divorce. He could clearly remember the instances where Matt had come to his rescue, back when everyone was younger and still disoriented by the sudden change in worlds and all monster attacks. No matter what happened, the older boy was almost always present, ready to face all challenges and to protect someone close to him.

In a quick movement, TK caught Matt's eye and nodded. Matt nodded back, briefly wrapping his arm around his brother in a half hug before letting go. Then they gave their attention to Tai, who was glaring at them impatiently.

"Sorry, yes Tai?" TK asked cheerfully, almost surprising Matt by how suddenly he had changed his mood. In reality, TK's mood had not changed whatsoever; he was just keeping up his facade of normality. He ignored a strange glance from Cody, who had an uncanny knack at spotting deceptions such as TK's own.

Tai sighed. "Teams. We're setting the teams now." Then he separated himself from Ken, and announced to everyone, "Okay, decide who you want to go to and split up with your partner."

TK and Matt glanced at each other and sighed, before breaking apart – Matt walking over to Tai and TK going towards Ken. The other boy gave TK a quizzical glance when he came over, taking in TK's tired and sleepy appearance. Then he quickly muttered, "Davis told me. Details later?"

TK nodded, watching as Davis walked towards them accompanied by Izzy, Mimi, and Kari. Agumon, Patamon, Veemon, Palmon, Wormmon, and Gomamon came as well. He felt a strange sense of relief, in that Davis and Kari were both on his team, and both would be able to cover for him if something happened. In a way, TK had a feeling that the darkness was going to try something more drastic soon, and he welcomed all the help he accepted. Not for the first time, he wondered if it was a good choice to not inform the other Digidestined of what was happening to him, but his inner conscience told him the same things he had argued mentally for the past two weeks – the matter felt personal, and he had no wish to involve others in something that could either be a stage or something much more serious.

He remembered when things happened during the first adventure while the group tried to protect him, the youngest of them all. It had left TK with a sense of guiltiness since various people continued to become injured for his sake. He was no longer the small, helpless child he once had been, but the feelings still remained.

Davis gave TK a wry grin. "Ready to kick some soccer balls?" he said cockily, tilting his head to one side as though challenging his friend.

"Ready as I'll ever be," TK answered, rolling up his sleeves ready to run. Kari giggled behind him.

The two groups spread out along a makeshift center line, as Tai placed the soccer ball in the center of it. Then he stood on one side of the center line, while Ken faced him from the opposite side. TK found himself staring straight into Matt's face; likewise, everyone else also paired up with the other person in their couple from earlier, watching each other carefully from opposite sides of the line. Only Palmon and Gatomon stayed back, as they had chosen to become goalies, each guarding a pair of fence posts erected for the game.

Tai and Ken shook hands, before stepping back slightly. Together, they counted, until they reached the final word to begin the game.

"GO!"

At once, all twenty four beings began rushing about the field, some towards the ends, others into the center. As one of the more athletic members of the group, TK stayed in the center area, running to try and block any access Matt had to the ball. Tai had taken possession and dribbled it down the field, flanked closely by Ken and followed by Sora and Davis.

Matt seemed to have decided to hang back and act in a more defensive manner, to which TK decided to take advantage of. Instead of following his brother to the opposite end of the field, TK turned and jogged lightly about, watching the ball. Inside his head, he came up with a plan that he would have to implement to help during the game.

He watched amusedly as Ken finally shot forward and managed to block Tai's way completely. The older boy barely managed to evade Ken, but accidentally knocked the younger boy forward a few feet as he continued to run.

At that point, Tai kicked the ball, not towards the goal, but to Sora. She easily intercepted it, dribbling it further down the field, before passing it down to Izzy.

Davis managed to stop the ball before it got to the red head, kicking it as hard as he could towards the opposite end of the field, where TK stood. Davis nodded at TK – the blond nodded back, understanding what sort of maneuvers would come next.

Having hung back earlier, TK was now in the ideal position to take the ball and act as a forward in the game. He dribbled the ball steadily and carefully, since being a basketball player meant that he had never trained in soccer techniques. Still, he led it towards the end of the field, where he saw Matt and Gatomon waiting.

Matt easily ran over and blocked TK's path, resulting in the two boys kicking at each other's shins for a few moments before the ball finally flew out away from both of them. By that time, Ken had managed to run all the way towards them, and he quickly intercepted the ball and moved it in for a goal.

Inwardly, TK grinned. Ken wasn't the Rocket for nothing.

Unfortunately, as a Champion level digimon, Gatomon was much quicker, jumping up into midair. Her tail ring clanked softly against ball as she swished her tail, and the ball bounced away to land with a thudded bounce in the grass.

At that, to the surprise of some others, Armadillomon curled up into a ball and with a kick from Gabumon, gained momentum until he could maintain his speed. Then he rolled straight around into the soccer ball and began shoving it down the field.

Even Ken couldn't keep up with Armadillomon at that point.

Playfully, as the others hurried to run after Cody's partner, TK laughed and thought to himself how he enjoyed the entire event. For the first time in a while, he could concentrate on something other than the problem with the Dark Ocean, and he reveled in it, understanding his own need for a life of relative normality.

Then without warning, everything around him faded.

It seemed as though the color of the backdrop had disappeared, leaving everything washed in grey and black. The sudden roar of waves sounded in his ears, and the familiar mist circled about him...

A hard blow came from the front of his head, knocking him backwards. TK yelped in surprise as he fell, seeing the mist dissipate and the color return to the scenery.

He toppled into the soft grass, his hat landing next to him. A friendly face stuck its nose close to his, glaring as it flared the two wings that served as ears.

Sitting on TK's chest, Patamon sighed, leaning away and gently poking his partner's chin with a paw. "It happened _again_," he stated nervously, glancing around the field wildly while also trying to show concern for TK. The digimon's wings flapped erratically, revealing the whirlwind of adrenaline and emotions running throughout him.

TK blinked and picking Patamon up off his chest, gingerly pulled himself into a sitting position. He rubbed his head, wondering how many times he would have to be hit in order to stop the Dark Ocean completely, before he caught sight of the others around the field.

While most of the group continued playing the soccer game, absorbed in the action and unaware of what had happened, Kari stared over in his direction, a mixed expression of sadness and horror on her face. Gatomon also gazed sadly at him, as though feeling helpless in how to help.

And behind him but still in view, Matt had turned white.

Briskly, the older boy strode up and tapped his younger brother on the shoulder. "TK, let's talk now," he said urgently.

TK glanced up and sighed, letting go of Patamon. The digimon gave Matt and hard stare for a moment as though telling the older boy to take care of TK, before flying off to continue the game.

TK watched Patamon flutter away for a few moments, before grabbing his hat. Matt offered a hand, which TK took.

Quickly, Matt pulled his brother up to his feet. Placing a firm hand around TK's shoulder, he led the younger boy off of the main field, and up an incline of grass that overlooked the field. Only then did he relax, although he did not let go.

"TK?" he prompted, still white but with a bit of color returning to his face.

A wave of emotion washed over TK and he lost all self-reserve.

"The Dark Ocean's after me," he blurted, feeling his brother's hand suddenly stiffen and grip him tighter around the shoulder. Still, he had to keep talking, had to let out everything he had been hiding. "It's been after me for a while, starting with all these dreams. I fainted in class because it tried to take me and it just happened that Kari and Davis were able to pull me out of it. It's been horrible, I've been afraid to sleep, I'm tired all the time, and I keep seeing darkness and mist all over the place when I'm not concentrating on blocking it out. I keep seeing power auras or something too, it's weird. Plus, I keep hearing ocean waves and sometimes I hear screams too... And... and the darkness is getting stronger, it's getting harder to block out and I don't know what to do, I keep having all these moments where I'll relapse and almost get pulled away and then Patamon has to hit me or Davis has to whack me normal again, and I want to tell everyone but at the same time I don't want to worry anyone either, and I know what the Dark Ocean did to Ken, what it's almost done to Kari, and now I'm just afraid of what it'll do to me since I know it's after me, but I don't want anyone to get hurt, but I know how dangerous this is, and..." he faltered, the rush of emotions suddenly swelling to a huge degree. He let out a low, almost maniacal laugh. "Damn it, I'm rambling. And I'm cursing too, which never happens."

Matt quietly relaxed his grip, unable to comment as he stood shocked by what he had heard. An expression of sorrow flashed across his face, and he pulled TK into a tight hug.

TK welcomed it. He felt momentarily safe in his brother's arms, protected like he always had been as a younger child. Somehow, he had the inner feeling that everything would be all right, because his traditional guardian was supporting him and could help him through his crisis. His eyes burned for moment, and he closed his eyes, reality crashing down on him as a discomforting revelation came to him.

Support was one thing, and a guardian might fight to defend all he held dear; but then, what would happen should the guardian fail, and would the actual target fight back against the aggressor? Was it worth the loss of the guardian?

"Who else knows?" Matt asked, not letting go.

"Kari... Davis...Gatomon... Patamon... Ken... Veemon..." TK mumbled, unable to mutter a more coherent reply.

"Listen, you're not going to be alone in this. Everyone is more than willing to help you - "

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt because of me," TK said plainly.

At that statement, Matt paused and slowly released the hug. He placed his hands firmly on TK's shoulders and stared TK straight in the eye with a stern look.

"We help you because we care about you. We know what the darkness can do, although I'm guessing Kari knows more as well. And you're not going through this alone; if you're captured, we'll rescue you. If you have to fight, we'll be right there beside you." Matt cracked a slight smile. "That's why the Digidestined haven't failed yet, we've always worked as a team and we've always come out on top. I don't think that streak's going to be broken any time soon, especially since we only helped save the world not too long ago."

TK had to grin slightly at the last comment. Then he sighed, letting the grin falter into a serious frown. "I know. Which is why I'll need help."

Matt blinked at TK's statement. "What for? Besides us fighting against whatever's in the Dark Ocean after you?"

TK sighed. "Well, I will need that eventually. But..."

The small thought that had begun itching in his mind not long before had finally become the point of his focus. He knew his decision, and nothing would deter him. Too many emotions had piled up inside his head, all because of the Dark Ocean; he wanted to seek the source of the problem and end it. Even if it meant...

"Matt, I think now would be a good time to talk to everyone. Because I've decided that when the time is right, I'm going to go to the source of everything and try to figure out what's causing all of this to happen. I don't think it was coincidence that Ken was brought to the Dark Ocean, or that it happened both after his brother's death and after the Dark Spore had gone into him. I know it wasn't when Kari was taken there. And now that the Dark Ocean's after me too, I want to know what it is exactly that's after us and why. Maybe we can stop this from ever happening again. Or at least we'll get a start on what's going on, so we'll be able to stop it."

Matt seemed unsure of what TK was saying, but his face grew slightly pale as a thought grew inside his head. "TK, are you saying..."

"Yeah. I don't want to do it, but I'm sick and tired of having to put up with everything, and no one else should have to go through this. I'm going to let the Dark Ocean take me."


	4. Shift

Disclaimer: I don't own digimon.

A/N: Okay, I was motivated and managed to churn this out relatively quickly for me. It's a somewhat short chapter, but quite a bit happens.

Remember, any plot holes as of yet will be explained later on. Enjoy!

* * *

_Shift_

"NO!" Kari screamed and ran forward, grabbing TK by the shoulders and shaking him uncontrollably. "What are you thinking, you can't!"

A few feet from her, Matt, still pale, looked down at the ground amidst the glares of the other Digidestined and digimon. "That was basically my initial reaction too," he mumbled.

Sora gave him a pointed look. "And yet you decided to let him," she stated, very much looking like she wanted to smack her boyfriend.

"I..." Matt tried to speak, but seemed overcome by another emotion, and instead sank to the ground, burying his head in his hands.

Sora turned to TK in turn, hands on hips and a mixture of concern and anger across her face. "Why didn't you tell us sooner, TK?"

Kari stopped shaking TK long enough to look at him with a pointed glare of 'I told you.' At the moment, faced with the group's mother figure, TK found himself unable to speak, and willed his mouth shut for fear of blabbering incomprehensibly. Slowly, he caught eye contact with Kari, trying to convey everything to her in a look.

Kari groaned, releasing TK and turning to Sora. "He didn't want to worry us, and was afraid that everyone was going to get hurt if they got involved." Then she turned back to TK. "You can't be giving in, weren't you the one who told me not to give up?" she asked, implying to when she had first been taken to the Dark Ocean.

TK sighed, finding his voice again. "I'm not giving up, I'm trying to use this figure out what it is in the Dark Ocean that's after us," he stated, trying to defend his position.

"During which, you've forgotten a pretty important question," Joe interjected, folding his arms over his chest and glancing over his glasses in a very stern, professor-like manner. "HOW are you going to get back?"

TK paused. He actually hadn't thought about that, and began to realize how rashly he had made decision without thinking through everything with a plan of action. Then he shook his head. "Okay, I haven't actually decided yet, but I'm still going."

Patamon flew over and landed atop TK's head, as TK still had his hat gripped in his hand. Gently, the digimon poked his partner's forehead. "TK, you've been trying to stay away from it, and suddenly you're saying you want to go?"

TK let an indignant breath escape him. "No!" he exhaled, "I'm confronting it!"

"And here's the other question," Izzy replied, having his laptop open on one hand and typing with the other. He seemed to be trying to write something quickly. "How are you going to confront it? There's a lot of logical planning that goes into something like this, and you're missing most of it."

At the still shocked stares of everyone, TK finally lowered his eyes to the ground. Slowly, he answered, "I'm just tired of dealing with it. I want to know why the Dark Ocean is after me, why it's gone after other people, and how to stop it. It's become harder and harder to fight it off – I was able to do it alone for a while, and then people had to smack me to get me out of trouble. I can't fight it forever; I might as well go to the source and figure out the cause of all this."

A moment's pause brought an iron, musky scent to TK's attention, and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. A few Digidestined gasped, as did a few digimon; Patamon flew up off of TK and banged his little fist on the boy's forehead.

However, nothing changed, and TK was suddenly aware of a cold feeling tingling up his spine. He winced, trying to will it away, but it only came stronger than before.

For the time being, he decided to ignore it, and turned his attention back to the others. He blinked in surprise when he saw that Matt, Ken, Sora, and Yolei had gone white. Wormmon and Hawkmon had turned equally pale. Kari turned to the others in mild shock. "You saw it?" she asked, voice shaking.

Wordlessly, they nodded, Matt standing up again as he stared at his brother.

At that, Davis shook his head. "Okay, what's going on? Did it start up again?"

Yolei suddenly rounded on Davis. "You knew?" she shrieked, staring at him in disbelief. "You knew that all this was going on and didn't say it to anyone?"

Davis held up his hands defensively. "What was I supposed to do? TK's my friend, I can't tell what he doesn't want me to! And as much as was going on, we don't know enough about all this stuff either! I don't think any of us knew what to do!"

Yolei opened her mouth to yell at Davis again, but TK interrupted by saying, "He's right, you know."

She glared at him. "And now what's come of it? You're turning fuzzy and grey and see-through, that's what's happening!"

The rest of the Digidestined and digimon, minus those who had known about TK and those who could see something different about him, turned to stare at her. "Huh?" Cody asked, confused. He also had somewhat guilty and concerned look on his face. TK couldn't blame him; the younger boy was his DNA digivolving partner, and TK had desisted from telling Cody what was happening.

Yolei blinked. "You can't see it?"

Mimi shook her head, practically speaking for everyone. "No, we can't, and I don't know why."

Izzy brought a hand to his chin. "Hmm... I wonder why it is that only a few people can see it and others can't..."

"Forget that," Ken answered urgently, trying to bring everyone's attention to TK. "We have an emergency right now!" He turned to TK, unsure of what to do. Beside him, Wormmon shuddered as he glanced from Ken to TK, apparently thinking about Ken's past and trying to think up some way to help TK at the present.

Kari nodded in agreement with Ken, glancing at the blond boy who was still standing and feeling very out of things, and now seeming to shift in and out of reality. "TK, can you hold on? We still need to talk. Try to fight it!"

TK didn't answer. He knew he still had to talk to everyone, and had been trying to keep his senses on the Digiworld and everything around him, but the sounds of the ocean kept coming clearer to him. He tried to utter a warning, but only a strangled gasp escaped from his constricted throat.

Kari ran forward to place her hands on his shoulders again, to keep him from fading, and sharply inhaled when her outstretched fingers went right through him.

Everyone else gasped at that. "Okay, that I definitely saw," Joe stared, now extremely concerned and running up to TK as well.

Kari tried to keep grasping him, to make him solidify back into reality again. Each time, her hands passed through his body, and she choked back some tears as she continued with her efforts.

TK focused his attention of everyone in front of him, trying with all his might to stay where he was, standing on the grass of the Digiworld, to ignore the coldness and mist that threatened to cover his vision. He knew Kari was trying to touch him, and in turn he imagined himself solid again, the image of her in her light, shoving away all darkness.

Although the cold feelings and the distant sounds of the ocean continued, he found the mist dissipate somewhat. Kari's hand made contact his chest, and he stared sorrowfully into her eyes as he breathed hard after his sudden exertion of energy. Slowly, he sank to the ground, and Kari came with him, her arms suddenly wrapped around him as she tried to comfort his shaking body and numb mind.

"I fought back," he mumbled, "But it's still there. I don't know if I can do it again..."

Kari's warmth flooded him with some reassurance, but his throat still felt somewhat choked by a heavy, humid mist that none but he could see. "You're still fading though," she whispered, a tear dripping down her cheek.

At this, Tai finally came up to the forefront of the group, stopping briefly at Joe, who stood looking defeated and helpless. He placed a hand on the older boy's shoulder, nodding for a moment before releasing and continuing forward, before he came to a stop one he was only a few feet from TK. He looked over the younger boy carefully as Kari held on. TK could see a definite sense of concern, yet sadness at the same time in Tai's face, and inwardly knew that the older boy was thinking about what should be done. The others stayed silent, watching their first leader stare sorrowfully at the one who had once been the youngest member of the group, the one everyone had protected throughout the first adventure.

Finally, Tai glanced over at Matt, who was shaking in horror at what had just happened. Then he closed his eyes, gulping as he spoke. "If you can't fight back any more, then you're going to have to do what you were planning to," he stated softly, with a voice that almost broke with emotion. "Confront it, find out what's going on, all of that. But..." his voice became slightly stronger, and he opened his eyes, gazing at TK with a determined look. "We're still with you. We'll find a way to the Dark Ocean and get you back, no matter what the cost. And we'll find some way to end all of this business with that world."

Some of the others gasped in shock. "Tai, you can't!" Mimi cried, taking quick glances at TK, still huddled up on the ground.

"It's his right," came a quiet voice.

Everyone turned to Cody, who was slightly surprised at his own statement. Then Cody turned his head to look at TK, who had also lifted his attention to the younger boy. "If this is your enemy, the darkness, then you have every right to fight it," Cody said solemnly, motioning at his DNA digivolving partner. "If you're being drawn into conflict, then take up the fight."

TK nodded, glancing at Matt again. The elder blond seemed to concur with Cody, but was also at a loss for words, staring at his younger brother. TK could guess what sorts of emotions ran through Matt at the moment; his wish to protect, yet an understanding of his charge's maturity, inner strength, and the request to break free.

Finally, Matt walked forward, maneuvering himself carefully around Kari, also embraced TK. "It'll be all right," he said, playfully brushing aside one of TK's clumps of hair. "You've grown, kiddo. You can make it through all this. After all," he added, "You are the Child of Hope. Don't ever forget that."

TK smiled, thankful for everything. However, despite all the support, he could feel a chill creeping up on him as a light salty sea wind blew past his face.

Slowly, Matt and Kari let go, both noticing the sudden change in TK and his shifting. Kari glanced at him fearfully, still somewhat unable to accept that TK was about to enter the world of the Dark Ocean.

TK smiled sadly, knowing what sorts of things might come, and understanding a fear of the unknown – neither of which seemed very promising. More to convince himself than anything else, he quietly stood and glanced at his hat. Then he placed it into Kari's shaking hands.

She blinked and gazed at him quizzically. "Why are you giving me your hat?" she asked, puzzled.

TK closed his hand around hers. "A token, I guess. Just so that you know I'll be fine and I'll come back."

As the mist began to return, circling around him, he suddenly found that his hand couldn't feel her any more, and seemed to be grasping thin air. When he looked down, he saw that Kari's hand was partially running through his hand where his flesh should have been; more evidence that he was shifting between realities.

He dropped his hand, sighing. Even as the fog clouded his sight, making it so he could only see dark outlines of the group, he nodded, speaking. "I'll come back."

With that, TK let down his weakening mental wall, the last resistance against the forces of the Dark Ocean.

Cold flooded his body as the shapes before him vanished completely, covered by the grey mist and fog. He could taste the iron of blood in his mouth now; the sensation made him want to gag. The heavy atmosphere pushed down on him, moisture from the humid, yet cold air soaking his skin and clogging his airways. And with it all came blackness from something besides the absence of light – something far more sinister that made him shiver involuntarily.

His hair whipped about his face as a chill wind blew from all directions, but he felt very little of it, his numb body unable to sense such a cold feeling any more. The fog had entered his mouth and now choked his throat, shutting out any cries of pain or horror. TK could only feel and perceive what he knew was the world of the Dark Ocean, a place he did not want to enter but knew he had no choice but to. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he had gone mad for deciding to let himself be taken, yet the force of his anger against whatever was the reason for his harassment kept him firm in that he had to confront it.

Without warning, he felt all his senses shut off as he was plunged into darkness, with some force pushing down upon him from all sides. At this he panicked, not knowing what to do; he could see, hear, feel, and smell nothing, and any cry of shock he tried to release came out as a silent breath that never left his throat. All that was left was a feeling of void and emptiness.

Then another sensation came about him, one of wetness and liquid. He attempted to wave his arms, trying to make some sense of what was happening, and found his movements clumsy, as though being held back or traveling through some resistant aqueous material. Some current pushed him forward, and for the first time he realized that he could not breathe. And at that moment, he knew where he was.

As salty water poured into his mouth, he tried to kick to the surface, but found the Dark Ocean pulling him in. Although he knew it was life threatening, somehow it was impounding on him a strange compelling desire to give up struggling and lay limp, letting the current pull him down into darkness. He refused to give in, trying to seek the hope within him to keep going.

Yet even that was not enough as the darkness overtook him.

And somehow, he heard echoing voices from far away, each speaking different things, as though remnants of conversations from more that one world.

"He'll never be the same. He'll have changed."

"The innocence is gone. He has to face his own darkness."

"He will survive. He has to. He's the light of hope, remember?"

And yet, those seemed much more comforting than the last thing he heard.

"The boy has arrived. Send the Spawn to fetch him... and to make the preparations. We want our guest... comfortable... until the time comes.

And then, we will forever be assured victory against the Light."


	5. Hunted

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, nor the Dark Ocean or any of that.

A/N: It has been a while since I updated this. Then again, as I like to write more humorous material, it's been hard to really work on this, also since this chapter is basically all description. Everything will come in bits, I guess. I would appreciate some constructive criticism, since I think the only other thing I've ever written that was somewhat horror-ish is a one-shot almost a couple years ago, and I could use some more advice on writing this genre.

Anyway, here is a long-awaited chapter.

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_Hunted_

A soft breeze blew across his wet body, sending a chill through his spine. He shivered as he began to recognize the sensation of lying down, though he could feel coarse sand beneath him. Trying to remember exactly what had happened, he stayed there, eyes closed as he let his senses and memories return.

Slowly, he inhaled and immediately choked on the heavy air that entered his mouth. Coughing, he pushed himself up from the sand a little and opened his eyes.

The darkness his surroundings confirmed that he was in the world of the Dark Ocean.

Narrowing his eyes and gritting his teeth, TK slowly pulled himself into a sitting position. He stared down at the grey sand, determined to calm himself before going any further. Somehow, the idea that he was in the place he had tried to stay away from made him shudder, as his heart began to beat faster.

The sound of waves drew his attention. TK twisted his body and looked straight out into the black expanse of water, a sense of dread beginning to flow through him. Watching the surf touch the beach, he gazed over the bleak horizon where no sun nor source of light could be seen. Only an ongoing presence of grey, and darkness manifesting in the clouds and water.

Somehow, the gentle waves at the shore gave an ironic feel to the entire world, as though something as dangerous as the evil of the world of darkness could not exist in the belying peacefulness of swirling water. Underneath the calm surface, something sinister definitely lingered. The overall world seemed much more corrupted and malevolent than it had when he had come to rescue Kari months earlier.

The hatred and fear of the darkness seeping from the ocean hit TK full force, and he quickly stood, staring with narrowed eyes at the roaring water in the distance. A chill ran through his body as the wind swept by, blowing through his hair and bringing with it distant echoes of moans. And around him, aside from the heavy air and the ever-present iron taste, he could feel the faint trembles of the mist he had tried to avoid earlier.

He clenched his fists in anger. This was going to end.

Tearing his eyes from the sight of the ocean, he turned parallel to the surf line with the water to his right, and began to walk.

The sea roared beside him, as though angry at the world and its suffering. TK himself did not want to think about it; as he kept his senses aware and ignored the faint echoes of moans in the distance. He let his eyes shift over the scene before him, watching for any sign of danger as he continued his determined strides.

A whiff of something both musty and acrid suddenly caught him by surprise, while at the same time, he heard a pooling sound behind him. With a sudden jump, he twisted his head around, glancing over his shoulder.

Although he could see no monsters or immediate danger, he could see something wrong already. Where he had left footsteps, small pools of black water formed and connected together. And one of the larger groups seemed to swirl, with wisps of smoke forming at the surface and rising into the air.

TK looked down quickly, to see if the same was happening beneath his feet. He immediately grimaced and felt a shudder run through him; he had not noticed the pooling, almost wet tendrils of darkness forming around him.

A flash of memory made him begin moving again, as he vaguely recalled a sensation from the dream, the one he had had concerning the Dark Ocean. Determined not to let that scene come to take place, he quickly strode on, knowing that he left footprints filled with black water behind him.

The grey world was barren, devoid of life. The beach, what might have been a beautiful sandy view, was more of a wasteland with poisoned water and life-sucking winds. With no reason to stop walking, he continued moving forward, as he started glancing up away from the shoreline, trying to find a way off the beach.

Through the mist, TK thought he saw above the beach cliffs the faint outline of buildings, ghostly and forlorn. It furthered his realization of how abandoned and dead the world seemed, filled with darkness and the sense of hopelessness. The last time he had been here, he had been too focused on saving Kari, fighting the evil digimon and... whatever those dark figures around Kari had been, that the feelings of the world did not have time to affect him.

He suddenly felt something cold around his leg.

With a yelp, TK jumped, tried to run forward, and glanced down. To his shock, he saw something like a black claw gripping his ankle from out of one of the pools, reaching out to pull him down. TK swiftly kicked it with his other foot; the claw held on.

With a growl, he grabbed his D3 and aimed it at the claw, feeling relief when a beam of light shot out from the screen and hit it. The claw writhed briefly before loosening its grip, and TK took that moment to struggle free and race away.

_What is going on?_ He thought desperately as he tried to look up the shoreline for perhaps a good place to climb up the cliffs off the beach. As far he could tell, something sinister was targeting him right next to the water, and he needed to escape as quickly as possible. He had not come to be captured or killed immediately.

Glancing back behind him, he could see the pools widening, and something arising from them.

His eyes widened. "What the..."

He decided not to wait. Breaking into a sprint, he raced down the beach, searching for somewhere he could climb, or an area where he could leave whatever evil thing was after him at the moment.

As he heard unearthly gurgles from behind, something in the distance caught his eye. What looked like a staircase cut into the cliff seemed a good escape from the beach and the nearby presence of whatever it was after him.

TK ran for it.

Sparing a glance behind him, his jaw dropped in shock and horror. Humanoid shadows followed him, more rising from the pools of darkness and joining together to become a massive mob. They emitted sounds almost like groans, but at the same time... hungry, like they sought after something out of place in the world.

TK certainly knew what that was, and he quickened his pace in an attempt to leave behind the mass of monsters behind him.

After some period of running, he could not recall how long, just that the embroiling mass was much further away now, he reached the cliff area where the staircase had been cut. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, before suddenly noticing a dull sheen of something buried in the sand. For a brief moment, he felt compelled to find out what it was, but at the same time his intuition told him to leave it immediately.

Somehow, it gave off a negative feeling, as though it was connected with something... that he really did not want to think about.

Leaving the item behind, he raced up the steps. He silently thanked his long experience of running away from various attacking digimon, as it gave him the stamina he needed to be able to escape.

Nonetheless, the long series of stairs left him slightly breathless by the time he reached the top. His sneakers hit pavement; he sighed in relief, knowing a hard surface would provide a better running surface than the sand of the beach.

Quietly, he turned to face the ocean, glancing back to see what had happened to mob of shadow creatures following behind. To his surprise, he saw the black mass slowly evaporating, as though without a main target, they had no purpose.

Then his stomach lurched when he noticed the air around him becoming darker and filling with more fog.

TK dove out the cloud, now aware of the shadow monsters and their ability to follow their target. Inwardly, he began to wonder if Kari had ever had to deal with the sort of thing he was going through, and felt even more guilty for not having been able to protect her better. He backed away slowly as the shadow monsters solidified back into existence, feeling his heart pounding in his chest.

He wanted to run, but knew he had nowhere to go. He felt that the Dark Ocean had taken him too quickly for him to have made a good plan, and not knowing the world well, it would take longer for him to find a way to carry through with what he had thought of earlier.

He came up with a temporary one – find a good strategic hiding place.

With a quick turn, TK glanced around the area. He could see what looked like buildings through the mist, as though Odaiba had been copied and transplanted in the Dark Ocean. The only differences were the lack of color, life, spirit... the area seemed dead.

But he knew Odaiba, and that was a start.

Still, as he shot away from the mob of shadow monsters, a feeling of cold dread spread through him, as though it would only be through sheer luck that he might be able to escape.

He darted towards the buildings, and within moments found himself running through empty streets and mist. He could barely hear behind him some of the sounds of others chasing, and not bothering to turn around, he continued to run.

As he made a sharp turn on one of the streets, he heard a cackling laugh from behind. He realized why when he came face to face with a line of shadowy monsters that slowly approached.

TK skidded to a stop and started running in the opposite direction, barely managing to pass his earlier pursuers as he continued down the street.

As he began making turns here and there for the purpose of throwing off the monsters chasing him, he tried to think of what else he could do. Unfortunately, he was armed with only his D3, which by itself was certainly powerful, but he did not know how it could help defend him.

It seemed that shadows lined his vision, just out of his main area of sight. He was trying to escape from the horrible forces that lay behind him and chased him throughout a grey, barren land of darkness. Thoughts flew out of his head, leaving him with only a survival instinct and fear in his heart. He did not want to think about what would happen if he were caught.

Suddenly, tendrils of black smoke billowed around him. TK stopped out of pure surprise, having to skid slightly to stop from falling over. A strange, narrow and sinister sounding voice sounded malevolently from all sides. "Stop running, child. You cannot escape."

He clenched a fist. "Try me."

Gathering up his courage, he ran straight through the smoke, only to find that it seemed cold, viscous and sticky, almost like he was trying to run through syrup. Coughing in surprise, he desperately tried to push his way through, but everything seemed to cling to him and keep him in one place, making it hard for him to move. It choked his throat and made it so that he could not see, breathe, or feel. His entire being was numb and unable to do anything but struggle.

It scared him, how helpless he felt as he tried to escape from the darkness that seemed to have claimed him prisoner within it. He had to push forward with all his might to move any of his limbs. In fact, it felt as though he had been immobilized and bound by the darkness he was in, unable to move, and his efforts to free himself futile.

He tried to scream, but nothing came out. No breath could leave his lungs, not with the syrup-like darkness entering through his mouth and choking him completely. He could see nothing, just pitch black around him, and he felt compressed, as though the darkness was pushing down on him like a death trap. He struggled and tried to pull away, beginning to feel a slight burn in his chest.

_Someone help me! Get me out of here!_

He became desperate, writhing and resisting, trying to call for help though he knew no one was there, and despite it all, there was still the slightest hope that maybe, just maybe, he might escape and survive.

Suddenly he felt warmer, and everything around him began to feel thinner and lighter as though a great weight had been lifted. The darkness slowly began to melt away, more as though it was afraid to touch him than anything else. He coughed, expelling the foul and tainted breath from his lungs and gasping as he sucked back in clearer and more pure feeling air. Not quite able to believe that the darkness had just let him go, he fell to his hands and knees and panted.

As TK tried to recover, he saw his hands glowing faintly. He blinked in surprise, seeing the same dim glow covering his body like a delicate shield.

It was not enough.

Almost instantly after the darkness released its hold, the shadow monsters pounced.

He was at the bottom of a pile, cold hands and claws gripping at him and holding him down to the ground. He did scream this time, both from being shocked out of his mind and wanting to know he could still breathe after what had just happened. The sounds of cackling laughter intermitted with the moaning and rasping filled his ears, and again he tried to struggle and push himself up.

_No! I'm not going down this easily!_

Light burst around him, surrounding him in a shimmering yellow sheen. He suddenly felt the grips of the shadow monsters ease, as they shrieked and yelped in the burning pain of his body's radiance.

In that moment, he pushed them off and pulled free.

As he finally managed to crawl away from the mass of shadow monsters, he turned back and again taking his D3, aimed it at the pile. Light shot out from it, hitting the pile and causing the monsters to moan in protest as they tried to move away from their greatest weakness.

Still glowing, and ignoring his protesting and tired body, TK jumped to his feet sprinted away, using the advantage of the weakened monsters' states to escape and find a place to hide. He ran about in more streets and between buildings, trying to find an inconspicuous alley where he could easily escape and also not easily be found.

He dodged into a narrow sidestreet in between a pair of buildings, and finding a small niche in the side of one, dove into it and hoped that nothing would come to hunt him down. He sat there, trying to rest while knowing that wherever he was, it would not be long before those creatures came to find him.

Glancing at himself, he could see the glow fading, back until he looked normal. He sighed, wondering what was happening to him inwardly, thinking that maybe the power of the Crest of Hope was helping him against the danger.

It was only then that TK realized that his entire body was sweaty, he was panting hard, and his blood seemed to continue to rush through him. His heart still pounded though, and the fear of capture by the chasing monsters was still present, leaving him wary and scared, jumping at any sound. He slumped down on the concrete, wondering how long he would have to rest, before he had to run for his life once more.

On that note, he also had no idea what the inhabitants of the Dark Ocean wanted him for. The only reason he could think of was perhaps something similar to why they had been after Kari, or because the power that he embodied. But that darkness from earlier... he had almost believed he would not make it out, despairing and trying to hold onto the last hope of escape.

With a long sigh, he let his body go limp against the wall, silently berating himself for being stupid enough to run into a cloud of darkness, and trying to keep an ear out for any signs of things nearing his hiding spot. Still, the grey, dead feeling of the area seemed to emanate a sense of foreboding, and the circling mist only worsened it.

To make matters worse, it looked as though the sky was darkening towards night, and he could only guess what might happen then.


	6. Planning

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.

A/N: Not quite what I expected it to come out as, but now that I really do have a handle on the entire story, I guess it's not too bad. Also a little short, but I guess that each chapter _will_ just be a little short. Anyway, here's the next part...

Once again, any constructive criticism is appreciated. Meaning I may actually do some more editing once I finish this.

* * *

_**  
**_

_**Planning**_

Listing it a state of emergency, all the Digidestined and digimon had decided to spend the night in the Digiworld and find some way to rescue their friend from the Dark Ocean. It meant Matt calling his mom to tell her that TK would not be coming home that evening (in fact, everyone had to call home to let their parents know they were staying overnight), and everyone sitting in the late afternoon around a campfire in the field looking at each other glumly while waiting for Gennai's reply from Izzy's email for help.

They had hid the real reason as to why they were not coming home, simply saying that they were needed for some problem that one of the villages in the Digiworld had at the moment. They only hoped that they would not have to tell the truth eventually, if the worst happened.

Only the crackling of flames broke the silence that reigned around the circle. Many faces stared down at the ground, worried and knowing that the current circumstances could easily lead to battle, or even death. The elder Digidestined and more experienced digimon seemed to remember another instance when this sort of thing had happened, only... this was possibly much more dangerous. And for the one person it surrounded...

Kari clenched her hand around TK's hat, not bothering to hold back any tears that came from her eyes. Memories surged through her mind, as she remembered various times when TK had always come to help her. He had been a constant in the various journeys in the Digiworld, someone she could relate to and count on.

She silently recalled her own experience with the Dark Ocean. Having wandered about trying to discover who had called her had led to being attacked on the beach, and who had saved her? Who was the one who had come when she called out in desperation, who tried to defend her?

A guilty feeling spread through her, and again her eyes burned. She had been helpless, and watching her own hand go through TK like he was nothing but an illusion had only increased that feeling. It was the same emotion she always had, like she could do nothing but watch and be saved, that she was letting everyone down.

A gentle hand placed itself on her shoulder. Looking up, Kari saw one face she wished she didn't have to see.

"Kari, it'll be all right. We'll get TK back and help him against that darkness," Matt said quietly. "We're the Digidestined, we've never failed before. We won't lose him."

Joe glanced at him. "You seem so optimistic," he raised an eyebrow, "Considering this is your brother you're talking about."

Matt shot him a look. "Well, someone isn't here to be hopeful about everything, so someone else has to pick up a bit of slack," he answered a little acidly. "By the way Izzy, has Gennai emailed back yet?"

Just looking at Matt solidified some of Kari's inferences about the elder boy's feelings at the moment. He kept pacing, and had been talking back to some of the others; in general, he was being a little unpleasant to be around. But it was all due to only one thing, and Kari could in fact remember some years earlier, Matt acting almost the same way because of the same reason. He just seemed to be a little bit more mature about it now.

It still didn't make anything better.

Quietly, Kari folded TK's hat in half and continued to fidget a little. She stayed silent as Izzy answered, "No," in a subdued manner.

Matt clenched a fist. "Damnit." His face unreadable, he resumed pacing. He did give Kari a slightly apologetic look in the process.

The circle was silent once again, but only for a short time, for Davis suddenly began mumbling.

"I'm sorry... I should have done something... I should have told someone..."

Kari realized that Davis must have been feeling just as guilty as she had. "We all should have," she answered quietly, staring into the fire. "We knew something was wrong; TK told us what was wrong. I..." she took a quick glance at Davis, who looked pale and was shaking. Another quick glance around the circle told her that the entire group of Digidestined and digimon was being attentive towards her. "I'm so sorry..." she whispered.

Davis shook his head. "Don't blame yourself Kari," he said, "You were trying to get TK to tell everyone since the beginning. I was keeping it secret," he added in a quiet voice, as though trying to direct all ill feelings towards himself.

"Only because he told you to," Kari continued.

"He told us all not to tell anyone," Patamon mumbled as he sat next to Gatomon close to Kari. Even beside a fellow digimon, he looked very lonely and forlorn without his partner. "He didn't... want anyone else to get hurt because of him."

Davis clenched his fists, before finally pounding the ground with one. "I didn't know what to do. I thought that maybe those of us who knew could try to handle it, but I was worried and thought I should tell what was happening before it was too late. But I couldn't tell because I couldn't just... betray TK's trust, y'know? He's my friend... and still I know the best thing to do would have been to tell someone for his own safety. I'm so pathetic... I inherited Friendship and still can't act on it right..."

Yolei suddenly stood up, glaring at both Gatomon and Veemon who had just opened their mouths as though about to say something. "You guys, cut trying to blame yourselves for TK. First off, Something has happened, and while we obviously can't do much until Izzy gets an email back from Gennai, we should do _something_ a little more productive than sitting around and moping!" She glanced around the circle as though daring anyone to contradict her.

"Good plan," Tai stood as well, his face set seriously.

Kari tried to look at her brother. She admired him so much, his strength at being able to lead the group and somehow pull everyone through any crises. It made her feel even more inadequate. But, as she looked a little closer, even he looked strained by everything that had happened that day.

Still, he seemed to have some plan of action. "First thing!" he called out, addressing everyone. "I've got a question – why is it that some of us saw TK disappearing while others didn't – at least not until he actually did... but why?"

At a few blank stares, he sighed. "Okay… everyone who saw him fading before he was taken, stand up." With that, he plopped back down on the ground.

With a few looks at each other, as slow understanding came about them, Sora and Hawkmon stood warily. Yolei stayed standing, and Matt stopped his pacing to join the circle once again. Ken, with Wormmon in his arms, stood and glanced at the others who had gotten up. Both Patamon and Gatomon moved from their seated position, glancing at Kari as they did so.

Finally, Kari stood as well, looking at the motley group that had amassed.

The rest of the Digidestined stared at those standing, trying to see what all of them had in common with each other.

Tentomon spoke the thoughts of the others. "Okay you guys... what did you all do that's similar?"

The standing group glanced at each other, unsure. "I really don't know," Sora admitted, trying to think of what might be tying them together.

"Favorite movie?"

Everyone glared at Joe, who was slightly taken aback. He raised his hands in defense. "I don't know! I'm just giving a suggestion!"

Kari bit her lip, thinking. "Dark Ocean."

The others turned to look at her. "What about it?" Mimi asked, a concerned look on her face.

"TK was taken by the Dark Ocean," she continued, a thought springing in her head. "What sort of experiences have we all had with the Dark Ocean?"

Sora and Matt just looked at each other, while the others standing all gasped in remembrance. "We've been there!" Hawkmon shouted out. "The first time I DNA digivolved with Gatomon!"

Ken nodded. "It seems so... each of us standing has been to the Dark Ocean at least once... and this doesn't include those who have only seen it, since then Cody or Davis or Armadillomon or Veemon would be able to as well."

Cody glanced sharply at Patamon. "When did you go there? With TK too I'm guessing?"

Patamon was silent for a long moment as others looked to him as well. "We went a long time ago, not long after Veemon first digivolved to Raidramon," he finally answered quietly, looking over to Kari as he did so.

Kari stared at the ground, remembrances of the event floating to the focus of her memory. As the others were silent for a few moments, she spoke again, feeling still more guilty. "You and TK went... with Gatomon... to save me..."

"I've got another question," Agumon interrupted, raising a claw. Kari could tell that the digimon was also trying to spare her any more self-blaming. "When did Matt and Sora end up there then?"

A surprised silence spread through the circle, as everyone gazed up to the two people in question, who both seemed equally confused.

Finally, Matt's shoulders sagged. "I don't think I've gone, and there's only one thing off the top of my head I can think of that might seem anywhere close, which involved a cave. I know Sora's been through that too, so maybe that's how everything's connected."

A quick glance at both Matt and Sora, who seemed uncomfortable and nervous told everyone that whatever had happened in that cave was something relatively personal and not something to dig into any further. However, various members of the group only nodded their heads in understanding... for they remembered the incident as well.

"Well, if that's the case," Gomamon speculated from where he was next to Joe, "Then does that mean us watching it doesn't count?"

"I'm sure nearly everyone here would have been able to see it if only watchin' did count," Armadillomon answered, apparently making his own judgment of the situation as well. "I know Cody and I have seen the Dark Ocean, but we've never been there." At everyone's look, Armadillomon shrugged. "Hey, c'mon, you remember Daemon right?"

Ken and Wormmon's eyes both widened, and the pair shuddered in unison. "He's a little hard to forget," Ken muttered, his hand automatically finding its way to the back of his neck. Then he slowly unclipped his D3 from his belt, staring at its black frame with a haunted look in his eyes. "I suppose I could try reopening a gate to the Dark Ocean if we need to..."

"We'll be with you," Wormmon quickly responded, latching onto Ken's arm in a show of support. Ken nodded in gratitude, the dark look fading away a bit.

With some quiet sighs, the group fell into silence again. All thoughts of why things were happening had stopped, with just hopes that one person would be all right. Each member of the group looked solemn, unsure of what was to come, but knowing the only thing they could do at the moment was wait.

And as they waited, Matt suddenly began muttering to himself.

"He's really grown up... he's not the same little kid he was when we first came here to the Digiworld..."

"You know," Cody interjected, speaking softly. "I think TK was actually the most experienced of us more recent Digidestined, and that's because he was with you older kids from the beginning."

Sora sighed slightly. "...There was a lot we had to go through during that adventure... we all grew a lot. And... I guess I have to say that we all grew up in a kind of inappropriate manner during the time we spent here the first time around."

"Kakatorimon," Mimi spoke, glancing at Sora. The two girls made eye contact and shuddered.

"Finally!"

Everyone jolted as Izzy jumped into the air. It took barely a second for everyone to know what the reason was.

Matt was beside Izzy in a flash. "Open it!" he urged the red-haired boy, fists clenched as he stared at the screen.

Izzy gritted his teeth. "Got it."

While everyone began to crowd around Izzy, Kari had moved to his other side, a lighter feeling in her chest as she read over the email. Relief flooded her as she continued down, yet she also furrowed her eyebrows as she realized just what it might take to help TK.

Patamon came and floated over Izzy's head in an attempt to read the screen. He squinted his eyes and made a little sound of annoyance. "I can't see," he announced.

Seemingly, Izzy decided to make everyone's lives easier and read the message aloud. "Digidestined – this dilemma is very worrisome. I've done what I can for now, but I'll keep looking for more information. Here some of what I've found so far, as well as some of my own theories:

"The Dark Ocean is stronger. You obviously already know this, but it seems that it is because of more dark forces in that place than were there before. And whoever is there wants to continue making that realm and the power that runs through it even stronger.

"Ken, I would not suggest trying to open a gate with your D3. With the Dark Ocean becoming stronger, it might overpower you, especially because of your Dark Spore. I instead have found some other sites that may potentially have links to the Dark Ocean. These should not be closed off, so in case something bad happens, you will be able to reach TK. I have included map coordinates for these, and some information about the areas.

"I also have found something rather interesting, which should actually help in this 'mission' if you call it that. I have also included map coordinates for this – I suggest you go to it as quickly as possible. I am researching it right now, but since I know you have to travel, and that this emergency is, for lack of a better term, an emergency, I am simply sending you there.

"Unfortunately, due to problems with the some of the Digiworld stability, I will be unable to meet with you until sometime tomorrow afternoon, so I will do what I can from the databases. I will continue to be in contact with you though. Good luck. Gennai."

There were some murmurs in the crowd of humans and digimon. Tai, his head directly next to Izzy's though he was crouching behind the boy, pointed at the screen. "Izzy, you doing the coordinate thing yet?"

Izzy's fingers flew across the keyboard. "Doing it right now."

For a few moments, everyone watched tensely as Izzy entered coordinates into a map program he had, staring at the screen and looking towards each point that came up. As a few places popped up, some of the group would nod in understanding, either having been to the areas or understanding why the areas might have a link; a few areas would result in group members turning pale.

Finally, Izzy sat back a bit and gazed at the screen. "Here's all of them," he announced. "Oh, and that one," he pointed to one spot on the map, "that's where Gennai is directing us. Fortunately for us it's only about an hour's flight."

As the group continued to peruse the various dots across the screen, Tai seemingly took charge. "Okay, we need to narrow down to which ones we can get to quickly, and which ones are too dangerous or impossible to reach."

"Cross that one out then," Armadillomon jumped up and pointed at one specific spot on the screen. "Unless ya want me and Cody to go alone... or maybe with Gomamamon too..."

As the other newer Digidestined and digimon nodded their heads, realizing which location that was, Izzy understood and deleted the point from the map.

Then Davis interjected. "Hey guys, I've got another idea – let's head to where Gennai told us to go, and then we can work on the map as we're going. Then we get an hour to do it and we can figure some more stuff out."

Tai glanced at Davis. "I think that's a great idea, since we need to be ready in case something bad happens. I say we hop to it."

Instantly, the group was on their feet and preparing to move. Armadillomon did the honors of extinguishing the campfire, while everyone else moved to some more open positions in preparation for digievolution. Davis and Veemon seemed among the most determined to go.

"Veemon digivolve to... Exveemon!"

As digimon started to preparing to digivolve, Izzy carefully tilted the screen on his laptop and turned towards Tentomon. "Let's go for it."

Tentomon nodded. "Yeah, this is for TK's sake. Tentomon digivolve to... Kabuterimon!"

Izzy carefully climbed atop Kabuterimon, still balancing the laptop in front of him. Opening up the screen again, he paused and looked carefully at the map, beginning to type as he did so.

Others followed suit.

"Biyomon digivolve to... Birdramon!"

"Hawkmon digivolve to... Aquilamon!"

"Wormmon digivolve to... Stingmon!"

"Armadillomon armor digivolve to... Digmon, the drill of knowledge!"

Finally, as digimon and humans began pairing up on various flying digimon to begin the trip, Kari raised up her digivice with a decisive expression. "Let's go, Gatomon."

"Gatomon armor digivolve to... Nefertimon, the angel of light!"

Quickly, Kari jumped atop the digimon and awaited the signal to go. She quietly wiped the last remnants of tears from her face, silently thinking to herself.

If anything, she had come to an inner realization as things around her took place. She still blamed herself for what TK was now going through, still was unable to grasp the reality of what might happen, but she actually had choices. She could wallow in self pity or go forth and do what she could to help her friend.

She was determined to do whatever she could to save TK.

Patamon flew up and landed on Nefertimon's head. "Are we heading out?"

Just hearing and seeing Patamon reminded Kari of his human partner.

Kari glanced up and saw Tai and Agumon jumping atop Kabuterimon with Izzy. He made a hand signal, urging everyone forward. She nodded back to Patamon in response.

As the entire group lifted up off the ground and into the air, with Kabuterimon in front, Kari felt a slight surge of hope return. Maybe it was a good sign... maybe TK would actually be all right.

But was he?


	7. Withdrawal

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor the Dark Ocean, nor Cthulu and other Lovecraft related stuff. Even though I'm not really using that as my inspiration whatsoever. It's just that the Dark Ocean automatically brings to the mind images of Cthulu.

A/N: A moderately long (for my chapters), but action packed chapter. Not that much dialogue either, unless one counts our poor hero talking to himself. This was actually somewhat hard for me to write - probably because I haven't really written many suspense/action/horror combos before. This story is seriously one of the darkest things I've ever written... and yes it gets much worse. Many of the events that happened in this chapter were brainstormed up quite a while ago, and somehow they ended up coming together... hopefully, it all makes sense. Constructive crticism is always appreciated - I will probably need it in this particular story. Enjoy.

* * *

_**Withdrawal**_

_Fine mess I'm in..._

TK listened and kept watch in all directions from his spot in the little niche he had found. Something rustling caught his ear, and he carefully paid it some attention, while keeping his senses alert.

_I'm going to get out of this. _

A tingling feeling in his spine confirmed his feeling that something was coming closer. It was no simple something either; somehow, he could tell that the strange shadow creatures were closing in.

_I will find out why the Dark Ocean is after me._

He narrowed his eyes slightly, noticing the strange aura sense he had been gaining shoot back into play. He could dimly make out bits of darkness here and there, through the walls and mist; the presences of those creatures after him.

_Why it's been after Kari and Ken._

He began groping around for something to use as a weapon, something more solid and immediate than his D3. Automatically, his hand found something long, thin, and cylindrical. A pipe.

_Why it's active in the first place._

For all his luck, the pipe was connected to the wall and he was in no manner strong enough to pull it clean off. Without another choice, he reached for the D3 on his belt clip, ready to use it in defense.

_Everyone will come and help._

There was no reason to use the aura sense any more. The dark beings had apparently found their quarry again, and they were stealthily filing into the alley.

_Everything will be all right._

TK shot out of the niche, and without taking a look of the approaching creatures, sprinted down the alleyway; away from the street, and away from those after him. Jumping over rusting garbage cans and broken glass, he darted about, only looking back every so often to make sure the shadow beings were not catching up with him.

They seemed to be taking their time, ambling after him casually as though not expecting any resistance and already knowing victory. TK gulped as he received the strange feeling that they had something else planned, and instinctively increased his speed.

As he approached the end of the alley, he sensed something sinister and discomforting, and knew that his feeling had been right.

Rushing into the alley like starving beasts seeing food were even more of the beings.

With a yelp, TK skidded to a stop and turned to run in the other direction, only to halt as he realized the trap that he had fallen into. His eyes darting about for any possible escape paths, he searched the two alleyway walls for anything – a ladder, pipe, rope, window –

Window.

He was not usually one to destroy property, but he was desperate. Seeing the low window that probably led to a cellar or tunnel of some sort, he rushed forward and manically felt around it for any sort of lock or switch that might open it. Knowing the impending danger, he worked feverishly trying to get it open, hearing sounds behind him...

Finally, TK gave up and instead kicked it with all his might. Feeling something break, he kicked it one more time and felt his foot go through as the satisfying sound of breaking glass reached his ears. He was lucky that the glass had been old and easily breakable.

Making sure that the hole was large enough, he carefully propelled himself through, and into the dark area.

He landed thankfully on his feet with a loud thud, a cloud of dust rising around him from the impact. He barely had time to take in surroundings though; he could tell that the shadow creatures would be coming in after him, and inwardly he prayed that he had not just dumped himself into a place with no escape.

He looked around wildly for another exit. What he could see around him were mostly old shelves and rotted boxes disused and forgotten with time. For a moment, the dismal darkness around the abandoned room gave him the realization that at one point, someone had once worked in the place he was standing.

Mentally shaking himself, TK barged towards what he could tell was an old door, hanging from only one of its hinges. Pushing it open, he quickly rushed through, knowing that it would be very easy to break down even if it could be closed and locked well.

Now he found himself in a long hall with old yellowed flyers and chipped plaster. Wincing slightly, but still seeing no sign of the dark monsters, he ran down it and began searching for more doors and a way out. His footsteps echoed as he went, as more clouds of dust rose into the air behind him.

Before he could go very far, his foot slammed onto a part of the tile floor that let loose a hollow sound. A few moments later, the floor cracked and split like brittle porcelain, halting TK's progress and forcing him to fall into the dark hole below.

He cried out as he lost his footing, but had no need to for long. He landed on his feet, though the impact of the fall forced him to his hands and knees. Hearing the sounds of more cracking above, he instinctively crouched down and covered his head for protection. His motion had not come a moment too soon; barely after, debris and dusty fortifying structures rained down upon him.

He only waited a few moments for the onslaught of the breaking ceiling to slow before jumping out of the light into the cover of the dark tunnel he had landed into. Now there were pipes and wires lining the walls, with what looked like pumps and other gadgetry in connection. Still, like everything else he had seen thus far, they were old and disused; many pipes were broken and rusted, and the wires cut and frayed. Whether there was still a power source behind the wires, TK was not interested in finding out. It looked as though he had fallen into some sort of utility tunnel.

At his current position, TK knew he had no chance of being able to pull himself out of the hole, and his only choice was to continue through the tunnel until he found some doorway or exit out. However, he faltered at the prospect of entering a dark tunnel that could possibly have more dark beings or dangerous hazards, all without a major source of light.

He felt something clench up inside him at a sudden musty scent and the sense of another presence from behind and above. Knowing exactly what it was, he pushed all caution aside and threw himself into the darkness.

With the only light coming from behind him, TK forced himself to slow down to a jog. Hoping that he did not touch any wires as he did so, he placed one hand on the wall and continued, making sure the presence he could feel was far behind him. He stayed close to the wall, being sure to turn whenever the wall would come to open air or a corner.

Within a short time, his foot caught on something, and despite his best efforts, he fell to the concrete floor. As a sudden shock of pain burst from where he had hit the ground, he berated himself. _Great, running blindly in the dark, with electrical wires everywhere and broken pipes to trip on. No... think clearly... c'mon TK, get up and keep running..._

Now that he was on the ground though, TK realized that the entire area was much colder than any other place in the Dark Ocean he had been to. Although he realized it was not much to say, considering he had been running the entire time. Feeling icy sweat beading off his forehead, it took him only the sound of his own panting to realize that every movement and sound made echoed throughout the tunnel. That knowledge made him more wary about staying silent and safe.

However, perhaps the dark creatures were more unaware of it, as he could hear the garbled moans. But the noises reverberated off the tunnel walls, making it seem as though...

TK twisted his head to look back at where he had come from. Although his sense told him the dark beings were fairly far away, the sounds rang in his ears as though they were merely feet away. With a sharp inhale, more as an attempt to calm his nerves, he jumped back up and continued feeling along the wall as he ran down the tunnel.

His heart began to pound as the noises became louder, the further he went. Quickening his pace, he suddenly stopped when his hands stretched across something smooth and metallic. _Maybe it's a way out..._ he thought as he started feeling around it for any signs of something that might signify what it was. Before long, he felt creases in the wall, and then a cold metal hinge. Hoping that luck would be with him, he began searching for a handle or knob, giving a sigh of relief when he felt something round on the right side.

But when he tried to twist it, the knob would not move. Gritting his teeth, he began pulling at it... something to try and open this door he had just found.

The sounds of the approaching dark beings were louder now, still echoing throughout the tunnel. His sense of their presence told him they were coming closer, almost dangerously enough that they would soon run into him.

In desperation, TK tried the door again, even attempting to ram it with his shoulder. "Damn it, open! Please!" he whispered, wincing as even his own voice seemed to resonate in the tunnel. Heart pounding, he stayed for only one more moment at the place that might have helped him escape, before finally giving up and running away again, leaving it behind.

Narrowly missing another pipe in which he might have tripped on by stepping on it instead, he continued feeling along the walls. Soon, he found another smooth spot; a quick search and try of the door told him it too was locked. The fear of knowing what might happen if the dark beings caught up with him began to circle in his mind, pushing him to continue running. Still going on, his hand caught onto what might have been the structure of a ladder, but guessing from the missing rungs, it had long been unable to use.

Turning back to run down the tunnel again, TK suddenly felt a sharp pain as his head his something hard. Ducking down, he felt stupid, yet more desperate as any stop meant more time spent and more distance lost between him and his pursuers. However, not long after his encounter with the ceiling, he felt what he realized was yet another door.

To his relief, it opened when he pushed hard on it. Wasting no time, he jumped through, making sure to close and, after feeling around a bit, deadbolt it. He sighed for a moment; maybe he could finally lose the dark beings and find a place to hide until further notice.

Wherever he had just entered was still pitch-dark, so like before he clung to the wall and began to feel his way around. Before long however his foot hit something low to the ground, at which he stumbled slightly before regaining his balance. But from the way it had felt...

Carefully, TK lowered himself down and felt the floor. Letting his hand move from the ground to the little ledge, he knew that he had found a staircase. Standing once again, still holding onto the wall, he began to climb up.

Much feeling around and some flights higher, TK suddenly heard a bang from below. Startled, he nearly lost his footing. At the last moment, he forced his body to the wall in an attempt to keep his balance, trying to stay stable. When he heard continual banging, he felt both a rising sense of relief and panic. Relief that at least the dark creatures had an obstacle to overcome and he knew where they were; panic at the fact that they were close.

Continuing to climb up, he tried to make some sense of where he was. From what he had gone up, he could only guess some sort of stairwell... which meant maybe he should find a door out so he could keep running. It would only be a matter of time before the strain of climbing stairs would reach him, and once he managed to reach the top, if there was no exit...

Deciding not to continue that train of thought, TK ignored his beginning to ache thighs as he started feeling along walls as he reached the tops of stair landings. Twice, he felt the indent in the wall for a door, but only holes where a handle might have been.

_Third time's a charm, there has to be a door that'll open. Right?_

Panting, he climbed up another flight of stairs. Feeling along the wall again, he found the signs of a door, and began searching for a handle, half expecting another hole like before. Instead, the telltale curve of something metallic found its way into his hand, and with a newfound sense of hope, he pulled.

Light.

It poured into the area, bright and forgiving. TK, despite having to blink back and momentarily shield his eyes, welcomed it from the cold darkness he had come out of.

CRASH.

The noise echoed up the stairwell, and TK knew exactly what that was. Hurriedly, he rushed through and shut the door, knowing that likely, the dark creatures knew where he was. If not by the fact that they seemed to sense his presence, the light would have given him away immediately.

Still, guessing from the amount of effort it had taken him to come up the stairs, he guessed that he had some time before they reached whatever floor he was on.

Exhausted from the running and the climb up, TK only walked a few steps before collapsing on the tile flooring of hall he had reached. He lay there for a moment, giving himself some time to breathe before deciding what action to take next.

Having been in the darkness for a bit, TK could suddenly appreciate what the light meant to him, and in the short space of him resting, a sudden image came to him. Images of his friends, of Patamon, Matt, Kari…

He somehow found the strength to stand. He would have to either climb higher or somehow leave the building in order to escape from the attention of the dark creatures after him. Looking at his surroundings (now that he actually could), all he could tell that he was now in a hall, though of a different style than the one he had been in earlier before falling into the tunnel. Although there were chipped tiles, it otherwise looked more deserted than in complete disrepair.

_If those things are coming up the stairwell, I'll just get trapped if go higher. I need to get out of here..._

TK burst into a run again, this time around the floor to find another stairway down. He could only hope that there were no dark creatures coming up that one as well.

Passing open doors, windows, and some broken walls, he came to what looked like an elevator. Although skeptical, he pushed the button to see if perhaps it was still working. However, no light came on, confirming some of his thoughts.

Continuing on, he ran through the hall more until he noticed that suddenly, he was in the exact same place he had entered the floor in the first place. He blinked. _That can't be..._

He turned and began running down the hall again, past the same open doors and windows and the elevator, and before long he had reentered the area where the stairwell had led into. Panic rising in him, he turned one more time and ran down the corridor yet again. Only to find himself in the same place.

_There's no way down!_

Hurrying back to where the elevator had been, TK slid his fingers between the two sliding doors and pulled as hard as he could. Somehow managing to wrench open the door, he took a look inside the elevator shaft and felt his stomach drop. Something had collapsed inside the shaft, leaving it completely blocked.

_No... I'm trapped here..._

Feeling his heart pounding again at the onset of being taken by the dark beings, TK felt desperation begin to take over. If only there was some way to escape... he would even attempt jumping out a window if he had to...

Scrambling to the nearest window, he took a look down and immediately banged his head on it in frustration. "Of course, I have to be high enough up that... well, I guess if I jumped, I might live... if I'm lucky..." he muttered to himself, seeing the drop. Thinking back to the stairwell, he realized that possibly, the dark creatures could be nearing his location, and it would not be safe to attempt trying to go up a floor. With no light source in the stairwell, and the possibility of there being no other able to open doors, it would be like walking straight into the arms of his pursuers.

He had no way down, and no way to escape.

TK clenched his fists. He had no idea what to do, no way to escape from the building, and no choice but to wait until the dark beings came for him.

Unless...

Taking another look out the window, he noticed another building fairly close, meaning that there was an alleyway between the current building he was in and it. It had various railing balconies over the entirety of it, which led him to realize that it was some sort of apartment complex. But he had no idea how it would help him, unless he managed to jump the space between buildings.

Or unless he found something that would allow him to cross that space.

Hope renewed, TK rushed back through the halls, this time barging into the closest room he could find in hopes of finding a rope and some sort of object that might act as a grappling hook. All he could see was the ruins of desks and other pieces of furniture. Gritting his teeth, he jumped out and running down to the next door he could see, pushed himself into the room.

To his surprise, it was less of a room and more of what might have been a janitor's closet. Taking a look around, he rummaged through the equipment, trying to find something of use besides plastic bags and mops.

After a few moments, he found what he was looking for – a long length of rope. "Yes!" he could not help but let out a sigh of relief as he picked it up and shouldered it. Now he only needed something that might latch onto a railing, like a hook of some sort.

He did not have to look far. The walls of the closet were crumbling, leaving the hooks falling out. Feeling somewhat victorious, TK pulled one of the hooks out of the wall, though it came with a small piece of the wall as well. Glancing at the piece of plaster, he shrugged and proceeded to tie the hook onto the rope.

With his makeshift tool with him, TK raced back to the window. He began pulling it open with earnest...

Then a cold shiver ran through him, accompanied with a scent and a sense of doom. And he could feel the presence of many beings close to him. The dark creatures had entered the halls.

Panic rose up in him again, and he forced the window open wide enough for him to jump through when he could. Taking the ends of the rope in hand, he grabbed the hook and threw it with all his might at the nearest balcony railing.

It fell short.

Pulling the hook back in, TK glanced behind to see if the dark beings were approaching. He could hear them coming closer, and he suddenly found his hands fumbling and shaking as he tried to bring the hook in for another try. Again, he hucked it as far as he could.

This time, it reached the balcony, but slid off. Cursing, he pulled it in again and tried again. The same thing occurred, and he felt frustration and the desperate need for his escape plan to work.

As he managed to bring in the entire rope, the chill of the darkness forced him to turn around.

The dark beings completely surrounded him, leaving only the immediate space around him and window empty.

TK jumped in shock. Instinctively, he reached for his D3 and aimed it at the shadow monsters. Relieved to see the strong burst of light from it, he used it to try and push the creatures back. At a certain point, they refused to come any closer, but would not leave.

However, they seemed to be pooling together behind the initial line, which made him nervous. Leaning back towards the window as far as he could away from the dark creatures, he could only watch as something large began to form from the union of many. It looked like some sort of smoky monster made from pure darkness. Somehow, it seemed unaffected by the light from the D3, or at least, it had grown much stronger than the individual creatures that had been chasing him in a horde.

Then it pounced.

TK cried out as it pushed him back, trying to envelope him in its smoky tendrils. He felt himself trapped in the same viscous darkness he had earlier, as it muffled and constricted all of his movements. Unable to do anything other than it, he tried to move backwards in a desperate attempt to escape –

And fell.

Out of the darkness, the sudden air around him momentarily stunned him. He could feel the lack of a ground and the sense of gravity pulling him down, without any sort of balance. Gasping, he twisted his body and pushed himself back forward. _Get to the wall get to the wall get to the wall – _

A second later, he found himself clutching onto an outcropping below the window he had fallen out of for dear life.

Panting, he attempted to calm himself, closing his eyes and pushing his body to the wall. _Get a grip, you're alive, you're just hanging for your life onto the side of a kinda tall building... don't look down..._

A dark claw swiped at his face from above.

TK chanced a look up and stared in disbelief at the large mass of shadow beings and one smoky monster hanging out the window in an attempt to grab him. His jaw dropped at the sight, particularly when some of them fell out and down towards the alleyway. Hearing the impacts and the screams from below, he shivered in thought of what might happen should he lose his grip.

With a large horde of dark creatures above him, he realized he had to find some place below where he might be able to stand. Possibly. Maybe. He shook his head to clear his mind of doubt, and then screwed up the courage to look down the side of the building.

It took nearly all of his willpower to not let go of the outcropping and fall at what he saw.

The sheer drop and distance from the street by itself caused him to freeze in fear. He had flown many times atop Pegasusmon, and normally the height had never bothered him, as he had done it so often. However, the major difference between then and the present was the detail of him on something stable, as opposed to clinging to the side of a building many stories above the street...

... where more of the dark creatures were massing, and somehow beginning to climb up the building walls.

"Shit."

There was nothing else he could have said.

Scanning the sides of the building in a desperate attempt that something would help him, the only thing that caught his eye was the fact that many of the windows had broken, leaving large holes. Another look around him helped him find that directly below lay some broken windows as well.

Looking up at the dark beings still reaching for him, and then down at the mass of creatures somehow scaling the building, he knew the fact was that unless he did something soon, he would be overtaken by the darkness... and likely dead as well, knowing the fall. But the alternative...

He could see at least one broken window, which would lead to another floor, directly below. But to reach it would require a sense of trust in himself, and a lot of luck.

TK pulled himself closer to the wall, knowing the consequences of the failed stunt. He took some deep breaths, trying to prepare himself for what he had to do. "Okay... I can do this..."

It was the fear of falling to his death that kept his grip tight on the outcropping and his body pressed to the wall. With his balance barely kept, he did not know if he would be able to control himself if he did fall.

"I can do this... oh damnit, this is why I never had the Crest of Courage..." he heard himself moaning. Then he focused. "All right... breathe... have faith..."

He let go.

TK lost his balance immediately, but having prepared for it, he kept his body weight pushed forward. Feeling the air rush past him, he tensed his body and twisted slightly...

And he sailed through the broken window.

Landing in a heap on the floor, he lay for a few moments as the sensation of having a ground beneath him sank in. But at the sight of the rope he still had with him, he was reminded of why he had it.

He forced himself up, trying to put behind him the shock of what had just happened. Instead, he focused on the next matter at hand – getting to the apartment building.

Running back to the window, he set his sights on the nearest railing across the alley and on a balcony of the next building. With a little bit more time, he felt his concentration strengthen as he took up the hook end of the rope. Calmly taking a deep breath, he aimed carefully and threw.

The hook sailed through the air, arcing across the distance between buildings and successfully landing over the railing. TK pulled his end of the rope gently, gradually bringing it towards the railing until the hook caught onto the railing. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, he tugged the rope once more time, to see that the hook held well.

The sensing of the darkness was beginning to become somewhat overwhelming now. And in the distance, he could hear some banging; it seemed that the dark creatures had come down a floor and were attempting to break open the door leading to where he was. Eyes narrowing, he climbed into the open window space, gripping the rope tightly.

He knew it was another jump of fate, but at least he knew this time he could hang from the rope and climb to the railing if need be. With that knowledge, and the rope in hand, he jumped.

Again, the wind rushed past his face, but this time TK could see where he was headed and felt confident about it. As he swung down on the rope towards the other building, he could see the mass of darkness on pause in its advance as its target moved to another location. Feeling at least one sense of relief, he let his momentum take him to where would.

As he neared the building, he saw another balcony directly in his path where he could land. Confident about his jump this time, he let go; his momentum threw him straight into the wall above the balcony.

He landed with a thud, rubbing his head and some new sore spots. He stood up, looking out over the railing towards the building he had just come from, he saw the dark mass beginning to come down and move towards the apartment complex he had just reached. He winced. Somehow, those creatures would keep coming after him no matter what he did...

TK pulled the balcony door open and strode into the abandoned apartment. He could see that everything was in ruins; from the splintered furniture and the wreckage of the room, to the graying wallpaper and layers of dust.

The only things going through his mind however, were that the dark creatures knew where he was and he had to hide. But he was so tired... and even in all his efforts, leaving the building most likely was not an option now. The only thing he had gained was the time to search out a good place where it might be difficult for the shadow creatures to find him in a building where he could actually do so.

_I tried so hard to escape and all I could do was buy myself time... but they're still coming for me... I'll need as much time as I can get, I guess._

Quickly, he ran towards the entrance of the apartment, only pausing when he noticed a glint of metal in the wreckage. A look at the object in question told him to retrieve it immediately – he realized it might be useful. In his state of desperation, any sort of weapon would help him, and even if it was what he thought it was, he could use it to defend himself.

Walking over, he reached his hand in and pulled out the object – a small hand axe. _Why would there be a hand axe in here? Unless whoever lived here was a handyman or carpenter... or maybe I really don't want to know..._

Taking the axe in hand, TK continued for the door and out of the apartment. Deciding to try one of the higher apartments, he headed directly for the stairs and started climbing, feeling only very relieved at the fact that this set of stairs was lit. Towards the top, he left the stairs and began looking for an apartment he could hide in.

He couldn't help but notice that the doors to these apartments were in the same state if disrepair as much of what he had seen so far. Many were in pieces, others just with the door handles broken off. Noting some that still had the doors intact, he chose one at random and jogged down to it, trying the door and entering when the door opened.

The apartment was just like the other one he had entered, though some of the furniture was still intact. With a nod of approval, he began formulating another idea. He would hide in this place... now he had to make sure that even if the dark beings came for him, they would have trouble reaching him.

With the hand axe and the recent memories of the difficulty of opening doors without handles, TK returned to the entrance of the apartment and stepped outside. Making sure the door stayed open, he took the axe and carefully aimed for the handle.

The resulting connection between the axe and the handle made a resounding metallic clang as he chopped the door handle off. Pleased at his work, he picked up the now nonfunctional handle and reentered the apartment, being sure to close the door behind him.

The paranoia of dark beings chasing after him still ran through his mind. Determined to keep them at bay for as long as possible, he began searching around the apartment for furniture and other pieces of wreckage that he could use to make a barrier. In his search, he soon found himself in one of the back rooms looking at the remains of something wooden. With a shrug, he moved to push it towards the main door.

He had to pause when he saw his own reflection staring back at him.

TK was already somewhat shocked because of the fact that the large mirror propped up against the wall was the only thing in the apartment that was still completely intact. Only a thin layer of dust covered its surface, leaving the image still crisp and clear.

For a moment, he had to stare at himself. He looked pale and exhausted, with a slight haunt to his eyes that had not been there the last time he had seen his reflection. He was covered in dirt and smudges, and overall he looked slightly darker from the amount of dust that had settled on him. Cuts and bruises marred his skin, including one bruise on his forehead that must have been from his run-in with the ceiling in the tunnel. He could also see many small cuts everywhere, as well as some rips in his clothing; after a moment, he realized they must have come from his many encounters with broken glass in recent times.

How long had it been since he had been drawn into the Dark Ocean? It felt like a long time since he had seen the blue skies and green hills of the Digiworld, where he had just been playing soccer with the other Digidestined. Now it seemed, he had all the inhabitants of the world after him, and he still did not know the reason.

He still had no idea why he had been pulled into the realm. And the more he saw of the Dark Ocean, the more questions he had. Why was it that the city was completely abandoned, but had evidence of having once been inhabited by many? Why was it in complete disarray and slowly falling into ruin? And if beings had once lived in the city, who were they and what happened to them?

What were those shadow creatures anyway?

TK let out a long sigh and wiped his forehead. The running and stress of the chase had taken much of his energy, and now he was sweaty and exhausted. His heart still pounded from the adrenaline rush, and memories of the recent escapes seemed dreamlike, as though they had not happened.

He shook his head and dejectedly let himself collapse onto the floor, staring at the mirror. He had to rest, just for a bit... and he needed to be ready for when the shadow creatures did come. He would make a barrier by pushing the old furniture and wrecked pieces up against the entrance, but the knowledge of what was to come did not make him feel any better. No matter how much he blockaded the doors, they would break through. Somehow, he knew that he could do nothing to stop the inevitable.

All he could do was wait.


	8. Solution

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, or any of its characters.

A/N: Hey, I did it! I updated more quickly! And we're also almost to the halfway point of this story being done. There's a definite turning point coming up... Anyway, this is a lead up to a scene that I got in mind a while ago. I don't think it was quite as hard to write as the last chapter was though; maybe it's because comedy and bantering between people is more my forte, or just because I've done it more. This chapter has a bit more dialogue than anything else though. Actually, the next chapter will also be mostly dialogue as well, but certainly not too comical. Action will return after that.

I think I'll be concentrating on this story a lot; I do want to complete this one. And in case anyone is wondering... I may write a sequel. Okay, I'm actually kind of excited because I'm in a writing mode now, though this might change in the near future. I'm a college student, after all.

Enjoy!

* * *

_**Solution**_

The wall of rock rose high up, as it was at the base of the mountain, but what truly caught everyone's attention was the sheer crystalline surface that covered a section of it, surrounded by more crystals that jutted out around.

The Digidestined and the digimon had finally reached their destination, landing in the small clearing next to the wall. In ordinary circumstances, it would have been a beautiful place to stay and picnic at; the fir trees around gave it a sheltered, grove feel, and with the nearby creek, it was a good place to rest, and with the addition of the rock wall and crystal surface, it had the benefit of having a very nice viewing spot.

However, with the fact that the reason the group was there was because they had been sent to the location, and also because the reason behind that had been to help a member, they only paid attention to the most obvious thing of note.

"Is this what Gennai said we should check out?" Matt asked, touching the wall to feel the smooth surface of the crystal.

Kari moved next to him, taking note of the fact that the sheen of the wall reflected her image off of it like a mirror. Mimi, not far behind, glanced at it as well. "It's the only interesting thing around here... unless there's something else that we need to look at."

Looking over to the others, and the gradually de-digivolving digimon, one by one the group came to inspect the wall as well. As they each took notice of the mirror surface of the crystal, they began to wonder what sort of importance it might have.

Then some of the more antsy members of the group lost their patience.

"Okay, we've seen what Gennai wanted us to see. Now let's figure out the battle plan," Tai announced, crossing his arms impatiently.

While some rolled their eyes and others came to stand around Tai, Kari stood for a few more moments at the wall. Watching the light glint off of the crystals, creating sparkles over the ground, she turned her gaze to her reflection staring back at her. Somehow, it seemed as though she was looking through a window, and right beyond the wall was another her, watching just as she was.

She had a distinct feeling that the wall was much more than it showed itself to be.

Then she felt a gentle nudge around her legs. "Come on, Kari."

Kari nodded down at Gatomon, taking one last glance at her reflection. The girl she saw looked weary and sad, almost helpless and seeming unable to do anything. Shuddering and holding back her own feelings of doubt, Kari turned and approached the circle of Digidestined and digimon.

He brother was looking at her with concern in his eyes. Unable to face his expression, Kari dropped her gaze to the ground and steadfastly focused on a blade of grass before her.

She could tell that Tai had noticed her distance – he was her brother, after all – but he seemed to only note it and continue with his duty of leading the entire group. "So, let's recap," Tai continued, looking over everyone. "We've narrowed down our choices of access points to about seven places, all of which are close enough for us to get to within a few hours. After a lot of discussion, most of which happened on the way here, we've also realized that depending on which point we go after, we'll have to figure out how to get through and into the Dark Ocean. Which means a strategy. And of course, I'm not always the best at strategies, so I'm turning it over to our resident geniuses."

Everyone turned towards Izzy and Ken, who were standing together with a mixture of nervousness and seriousness written on them. After a glance at each other, they nodded, leaving Izzy with the laptop and Ken at the forefront ready to explain.

As Izzy sat down on the grass and typed away, Ken began speaking. "Okay, so while Izzy finishes hacking into the imaging for this area so we can map out the plan, I'll go over some of the strategies thus far." He took a deep breath. "Obviously, my D3 isn't going to help us this time, and our only other ways of understanding how to access these areas involves our previous experiences. I know for a fact that besides Wormmon and I, Kari, Yolei, Gatomon, and Hawkmon are also aware of at least one instance where we managed to enter. I'm not so sure about anyone else, seeing as that not everyone has had experience with the Dark Ocean." He shuddered a little as he spoke.

Before he could continue, the air behind Ken flickered, and a large holographic map with seven glowing points on it appeared. He glanced at it for a moment, then quickly moved to the side as the others stared at it in interest.

"So, here we have our map. As of now, we have seven points of interest that we can all tackle within the next twenty-four hours. This one is closest to our location," he paused. Izzy, still at work on the computer, punched in a command and the dot in question began blinking. "On the plus side, this one is about two hours away by flight, as opposed to the others that are closer to three or four, and due to its location, also has a direct door to the Dark Ocean instead of just an access point. However..." Ken paused again, and Izzy again punched in a command. A close up picture of the area popped up in front of the map. "... this location is also very dangerous."

The picture showed a detailed image of a tower, built of stone and surrounded by hordes of digimon. Of it, only slots for windows appeared over its walls, with one fairly large door at the base. However, looking at the digimon around the tower, it seemed very well defended, as well as the fact that...

"Those are Vilemon," Agumon suddenly pointed out. "We fought them a while back."

"In fact, every single one of the digimon there is a Virus type," Tentomon added on, having been talking to Izzy earlier. "Which is not a good thing."

Ken nodded in response. "This would be our target as a last resort. Unfortunately, it would also mean us carrying out a full frontal assault if we had any chances of entering. So... let's move to the other points. As of now, we have no idea how to open the points, but we do know that at least two of them are active. Both a plus and minus. Meaning that with some work, it is possible for us to enter, but at the same time creatures from the Dark Ocean can also come here."

As he took another breath to speak, Izzy suddenly jumped and dropped his laptop. Everyone's eyes shot towards the fallen boy, who quickly recovered and carefully began typing away again. As though sensing the questions in their minds, Izzy called out, "Gennai sent another message!"

Before the entire group could rush to Izzy and the laptop, the large holographic map disappeared and another image appeared. Tai, glancing over at the paused Ken, and the eager looks of everyone, turned towards the other boy. "Ken, can we stop for a sec? We'll get back to the debriefing after we hear from Gennai."

Ken nodded. "Yes. Gennai may have more information which might change what we have anyway."

Tai gave a sign of approval to Izzy, who typed a bit one more time. "This one is a projection. He must have been in a hurry..."

The image in midair shifted into that of the man the group had become accustomed to seeing. The white-robed man floated in midair, only a hologram but seeming distantly present.

Unhooded, the figure spoke, sounding slightly rushed and concerned.

"Greetings, Digidestined. I have news and information on everything.

"What you are going through right now is connected to the Digiworld's stability that I mentioned earlier. For some reason, many of the access points have become active, and darkness is spreading from every single one. I've sent you data of the active points. You may be able to use these. However, the darkness is coming out at such a degree it may be nearly impossible to enter. The other Guardians and I are out attempting to close them up, except for those closest to your location, as I know you will need to enter the Dark Ocean in some way.

"Be warned though; it may be that those in the Dark Ocean are aware of your location. If they could track TK, they could easily track one of you as well. I hope you can still contact TK. If you have reached the location I gave you coordinates to, you should be able to, unless he's not in view of a mirror of some sort."

Everyone looked at each other.

However, Gennai still had more to say.

"Just continue to look for him though; I'm sure he is still all right. I've sent some more instructions in an attachment on how to use the Crystal Wall. You must hurry though – the longer you wait, the more darkness will spread. And if there is any more extra power behind this darkness... well, let's not think about that. Be safe, and good luck."

Gennai nodded sternly in farewell, as his image flickered and died.

Tai glanced at Izzy; the younger boy was already entering in coordinates and opening files. In an awed silence, the group sat for a few moments, absorbing the new information.

Then Patamon spoke, softly. "We can... talk to TK?"

"And see if he's all right... if everything is still okay..." Kari answered, just louder than a whisper as hope sprung into her.

Hard at work, Izzy had the updated map up and in its holographic form for everyone to see within a few minutes. As the image flickered back into view, some new things caught everyone's attention. For one, many of the dots on the map that had been access points (though eliminated in terms of actually using them) were now circled in bright red. Also, it looked as though Izzy had added a large yellow circle to the map, which encompassed the area that the group could reach, and the seven glowing dots from earlier.

Two of these glowing dots were circled in red. And one was blue.

At everyone's confused stares, Izzy quickly explained, "The blue one is the tower. I think it's just a door type of system."

"So essentially..." Yolei started, eying the map. "The tower has the only readily available entry to the Dark Ocean, but it's dangerous getting there. And the other ones are open, but it might be hard to get in."

"Basically... yes."

"Then let's do it."

The group turned to look at Davis, standing with a hard look in his eyes. He glanced around to everyone. "Why not?" he continued. "I'd say we try the open ones first, and if that doesn't work, we charge that tower. The sooner the better too."

Looking around the group, Tai nodded his approval. "I agree. A little more debriefing first, and maybe a try at that Crystal Wall thing or whatever Gennai said, and then we head out."

Numerous cheers supported his decision, with otherwise unspoken understanding of the plan and what was to come. Determined to find a way into the Dark Ocean to rescue a friend, each member of the group felt ready and able to take on the mission they now had to face.

"Guys, wait... we need sleep."

Everyone stared at Joe, who had a stern expression on his face.

"Do you realize how late it is, and that the digimon might be needing food?" Joe began reasoning out, seemingly remembering long gone days of spending days living in a digital world.

Next to him, Gomamon let a small smile creep over his face. "Gee, someone knows how to ruin a moment," he jibed at Joe.

The older boy groaned. "I'm serious! Gomamon, I know you're just joking," he added, "But it's true. And if things turn out badly, and we have to assault that tower, then we're not going to be in very good fighting condition if we're sleep-deprived!"

Silence reigned around the group for a few moments, before someone finally commented. "You have a good point. And I suppose you would know about being sleep-deprived, huh?" Cody answered to Joe's exclamation.

Joe grinned sheepishly. Next to him, Sora just shook her head. "Exams suck, don't they?"

Tai let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, fine. We'll camp out here to recover from a long day of everything, and figure out battle plans and talk... to... TK?" he added on unsurely, turning to Izzy.

Izzy jumped, having been focusing more on the map than the conversation. "Oh yeah... that! It's attached!" he turned back to his laptop to open up the instructions that Gennai had sent. "Hey, does anyone else know about this Crystal Wall thing? Any extra information would be a bonus," he called out as he began working.

With no other sources other than those actually native to the Digiworld, the humans each turned to their partners. The digimon looked at each other, at the wall, and back to each other.

"Well, that wall is the Crystal Wall," Veemon announced.

The group glanced at the wall. "... I think we figured that part out," Yolei commented.

Veemon just shook his head in exasperation. "I was sealed under a Digimental for who knows how long! I don't know!"

Davis kneeled down and hugged his partner. "That's okay, we don't blame you."

Armadillomon and Hawkmon turned to look at each other. "I guess Veemon's comment goes for us as well," Hawkmon finally replied helplessly.

"Yeah, I know nothin' about that there wall..." came Armadillomon's answer.

As both digimon looked somewhat pitiful, their partners kneeled down to comfort them. After all, the wall concerned apparently a way to contact one of their team members, and the digimon seemed to feel guilty that they could not help. They tried to avoid Patamon's gaze from atop Kari's head, where he had been sitting due to the absence of TK.

The other digimon began looking at each other as well. "I've heard about it, and what it's supposed to do, but that's about it," Biyomon said quietly. The other digimon around her nodded in agreement.

"So... what does it do?" Sora asked. The others around her seemed to share her sentiment.

Palmon spoke up first. "Well, it's supposed to be like a window for just about anything. You use it to talk to someone else who's far away."

"And that person can be anywhere, in any world, just as long as you are bonded to them in some way," Tentomon added on. "I think there's more to that though, like what kind of bond..."

"But it's only one-way!" Gabumon continued. Then he scratched his head. "I think... that's about all I know at least. Do you know any more?" he turned to Agumon, who only shook his head sadly in reply.

Wormmon, Gatomon, and Patamon all stayed silent, each looking very helpless. The others could only assume that they as well knew no more about the wall. "I always thought it was just a legend," Wormmon finally mumbled quietly.

With nothing more to say, the group gazed at one another idly for a few moments, before realizing that something was taking a while. They turned towards Izzy, who had stopped typing and now stared at his computer screen.

Tai walked over to the boy and gently tapped his shoulder. "Uh, Izzy?"

Izzy just glared at his screen. "What is this?! These aren't instructions, it's a riddle!"

"Oh, so that's what you were doing," Mimi suddenly interjected. "You were trying to solve it."

"Lemme see that," Tai quickly moved next to Izzy, staring at the screen, before starting to read it aloud. "It says..."

Then he stopped, skimmed it, and stared. "What the hell!"

Sora, who had run up, smacked him lightly. "Watch it, we've got at least one impressionable kid here!" she snapped quietly.

"Sorry... but... just read it."

Sora turned her gaze to the computer screen as well, though she had a different reaction that Tai's. After a few tense moments, she finally began to read. "Ye who yearn for a meeting, seek blood. The blood of whom you seek, speak. No entry, no path, but in reflection lies the sight. A name holds true meaning only when known through blood. Let it spill. The crystals will answer."

A chill spread throughout the area, as they heard the riddle.

Sora just paused. "... wow, that's weird. It talks about blood a lot too."

From behind, Matt shook his head. "It's not very reassuring, I'll say."

"Actually, it sounds really creepy," Yolei muttered.

"Um, Gennai has another note attached to this saying that this was just copied from some old manuscript that had been translated about three times, and that the translated thing is the only version of this in existence now," Izzy quickly told everyone, looking both sheepish and annoyed.

The group stood and stared at each other for a moment, then back at the wall. "That's ridiculous," Joe threw his hands up in the air. "All that for a wall?"

"And you're one of our intellectuals!" Mimi nudged Joe gently.

"That doesn't mean riddles like these are easy to look at... I just study. I'm not naturally smart like Izzy or Ken."

"Yes you are, stop degrading yourself," Gomamon proffered.

Izzy had now posted a screenshot of his computer up over the holographic map. In the view of everyone, the riddle stared them straight in the face, with only Gennai's comment below it explaining its origin.

Ken looked at it closely. "Taken literally, you would essentially have to kill the person you were looking for," he explained in a frank tone, "And of course, that's not what we want to have happen, nor is it what the digimon seemed to think about this mirror. The phrase 'Let it spill' seems obvious... and with the last phrase as well. Hmmm..."

"The wall is a crystal mirror. And in reflection lies the sight. And true meaning only when known through blood..."

Kari, having been quiet throughout the entire conversation, was standing and staring at the mirror. She could somehow feel its ancient age, and the light reflecting off of it gave her a feeling of awe and a sense of energy that was beginning to radiate within her body. As Patamon hopped off her head to trail behind her with Gatomon, Kari slowly began to approach.

As the others behind her continued their thoughts and ideas, she finally came and touched the mirror's surface. Her hands left no mark on the glossy surface, which stayed as pristine and clear as before she had touched it. The words of the instructions echoed in her head, as the word blood rolled throughout her mind.

Somehow, without really knowing why, she bit a finger, drawing blood. As the crimson drop began to bead on her skin, she reached forward and touched the mirror.

It left a glowing mark.

"'Let it spill. The crystals will answer,'" she quoted, watching her blood on the crystal's surface. The mark she had made was beginning to fade slightly, but still, it was there. Then she quoted again, something coming to mind. "'The blood of whom you seek, speak. No entry, no path, but in reflection lies the sight. A name holds true meaning only when known through blood.'"

She knew.

Kari turned on her heels and sprinted for the group. "Matt, come here," she gripped him around the wrist and tugged him towards the wall.

He yelped in surprise, so shocked by her sudden action that he could do nothing but come with her. The others, who had seen her so morose ever since TK's disappearance into the Dark Ocean, all followed her as well in seeing the sudden change in her demeanor.

She stopped before the mirror, watching as the glow fully faded away and the blood mark she had left vanished. "I know how it works," she said breathlessly. "I can just... feel it... but I can't work it, because it would only show Tai, or Mom, or Dad. Or maybe other relatives. But you can, Matt," she turned to him. "Because you're TK's brother."

Matt stared at her in bewilderment. "You mean..."

She nodded. Then she quoted again. "' A name holds true meaning only when known through blood. Let it spill. The crystals will answer.'"

Suddenly, Matt's face brightened as he seemed to realize what Kari had said. With everyone watching in silence from behind, Kari finally released Matt, letting him approach the wall on his own.

"When it talks about blood, it means through relations," Matt spoke, sounding far away. "There was something about a bond... it meant the bond between those related by blood. And... 'The blood of whom you seek, speak.' But in order to work it..."

He turned to Kari, who calmly held up her hand. The sight of a bead of blood dripping down her finger made him see what he had to do.

Quietly, though wincing slightly as he did so, Matt bit his thumb. For a moment, he watched almost trancelike as the wound began to bleed, but shook off the feeling and approached the mirror. Without another delay, he streaked his thumb across the surface, leaving a slight red trail across it. Then he spoke.

"TK."

The mirror began to glow.


	9. Contact

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, nor any of its characters, creations, worlds, and such. However, I have my own interpretation as to what the Dark Ocean is like.

A/N: I actually didn't think I'd be able to do this, but I certainly spent quite a bit of time on it. I also tried writing a little bit differently than I usually do; I think that's part of what made it come out much faster. In terms of quality though... well, I'm not sure. This is where constructive criticism would be useful. However, this is a very dialogue-heavy chapter. Because mostly, everyone just talks a lot, fills each other in on stuff, etc. I guess I'm not sure where things will be majorly changing... although something does happen in the next chapter that throws everything a bit off balance.

Things really do change when actually writing things out.

This is also a very long chapter. I don't know how I did it, actually... maybe it's all the dialogue...

Constructive criticism please (?). It'll help me know what to improve upon or fix.

* * *

_**Contact**_

He had pushed all the furniture in the building to the exit, and now a large pile of wood and metal items blockaded the door, effectively keeping it shut. Now he waited, waited only for the moment when the dark beings would break through, bursting in upon him, armed with a handaxe that he had found earlier. He sat collapsed before the mirror, feeling tired and unable to focus on anything. The world around him was surreal, and he felt like he did not exist anywhere, though he was barely aware of himself sitting where he was.

The light surrounding the mirror awoke TK from his daze. He shook his head, staring at it. The light had not been there before... and this was not the dim fog and twilight of the Dark Ocean realm, but... it was the light of...

"TK!"

He shot up to his feet and stared at the mirror. He almost could not believe whom he was seeing... it seemed unbelievable, but real. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, he was so shocked. But for the first time since his arrival, he felt warmth inside, and a true hope that things would be all right.

On the other side, eleven humans and twelve digimon huddled around the mirror, eyes wide in happiness and relief. Kari stared wide-eyed at the boy she had last seen vanishing into nothing, feeling her heart beating with excitement.

But still, it scared her when she looked at his condition.

TK looked tired and beaten, covered in dust and grime. She could see various forming bruises and some cuts; even the way he carried himself seemed to suggest his exhaustion. It seemed as though he had been running due to how weary he looked, his blond hair ruffled and his face flushed, even through the grayness of the Dark Ocean's world. What he had been running from, she could only guess.

"TK," she spoke again, coming forward to reach towards him. But her hands landed on surface of the mirror, and she could do nothing but gently feel the smoothness of the crystal under her fingers. "You're all right..." she whispered, feeling her eyes become wet.

He stared through at every person there, relief and a gratified smile spreading on his face. "I... I can't believe... it's really you guys. It really is, right? Don't tell me I'm dreaming," he finally managed to speak.

"You're not," Matt said, next to Kari and trying to reach to TK like her. But the concern he had in his eyes was one based off a more familial bond. "We're really here, TK... and don't worry. We found out how to get into the Dark Ocean... we think."

TK's eyes widened. "Seriously?" he gasped out in shock.

"Yeah." Mat smiled. "In a little bit, we'll be trying to go in and get you out of there. But right now, I think all anyone wants to know is... are you okay? What's happened? What's your position in all this now?"

As the group crowded around the mirror more, all trying to see their friend, TK sighed. "Well, as far as I know right now, I'm fine. And alive. I'm just... so happy to see you!" he finally cried out in excitement. His energy was returning somewhat now that he had familiar faces to relieve him. "You have no idea... this world, it's..."

Everyone could see him shudder. Patamon immediately flew forward and directly up to the mirror, veering up to avoid crashing into it. He flapped his wings as he floated and looked through to his partner.

"TK, I wish I could be with you," Patamon said sadly. "I know things have been hard for you, and I can feel that you've been needing help and everything. I'm so sorry I'm not there!"

TK found his face softening slightly as he glanced up at the digimon. "Patamon, it's not your fault," he answered, reaching forward and touching the mirror, where he could see Patamon's image.

In return, Patamon floated forward and touched one of his little hands to TK's. The two sat like that for a moment, looking at each other sadly and wishing they could be in the same world and without the dangers of darkness after one of them.

Then TK smiled gently, retreating. "It'll be all right. I think."

Cody quietly pushed himself forward, looking serious but still concerned for his DNA digivolving partner. "I'm sorry that I have to bug you like this, but how have things been? I know the Dark Ocean isn't the greatest place to be in, and I know we need to get to you fast before something happens. How are you positionwise?"

"Um, positionwise?" TK looked over himself briefly. "Standing."

The others stared at him.

"I'm joking," he quickly corrected. "I just need to do something uplifting right now..."

"We understand, TK," Sora smiled at him from the crowd. "What's going on, really?"

He took a breath. "I'm hiding in some abandoned apartment complex," he answered. "I've taken over one of the old apartments and barricaded myself in, and now the only thing I can do is... well, wait."

"They've been after you?" Kari asked.

Looking towards Kari, who understood what sort of dangers the Dark Ocean held, the group slowly moved their gaze from her to the boy in the mirror. Meeting their gazes, he sighed sadly. "Yeah," he answered softly.

"What happened?" Mimi spoke up for the group, concerned for him like everyone else.

TK paused, trying to word what he had just been through. The horror of the experience still easily came to his mind, and he knew what was to come. He did not want to excessively worry the group, yet at the same time he needed to let them know what sort of things the Dark Ocean was capable of pushing forth. Plus, he did feel the need to tell somewhat what had happened.

"Well..." he took a deep breath. "I apparently passed out after I got pulled into this world, and woke up on the beach. From there, these... things... I guess you could call them darkness incarnate, but they're just..."

He shuddered before continuing. The creatures would frighten him to no end.

"Anyway, they kind of followed me everywhere and then started chasing me. It... felt like they wanted to eat me or something, I don't know. But they've been after me ever since I got here...'

Feeling suddenly unsure about truly telling everything that had happened to him, TK decided to shorten his story a bit.

"Um, well, to make a long story short, they chased me throughout the city and in various places, including some utility tunnel with no light whatsoever, and I eventually managed to lose them by getting to this building. And I barricaded myself into this apartment. And here I am now."

The others nodded in understanding, realizing that whatever had happened between the events that TK had told them, he had been through something not to be taken lightly. Matt in particular seemed more suspicious than the others.

"Are things all right now? Are you safe? Do you have something to use in defense?" Matt asked frantically, apparently worried that something horrible had happened, or would soon.

TK smiled back, inwardly holding back a laugh. No matter how old the two siblings became, Matt would still be looking out for the well being of his younger brother. "For now... things are all right. And... well, this is an abandoned apartment, right? It's bound to have some stuff. I found an axe earlier," he quickly added, seeing Matt's not persuaded expression, reaching back to grab it. He briefly held it up before replacing it back where he had left it.

Through the mirror, the others stared for a few moments, realizing that the image of TK with an axe was both relieving and disturbing at the same time. He could defend himself somewhat, but to at least half of those standing and watching him, the boy was still someone to protect and take care of. He had always had a brand of innocence that had matured in the last few years, and it seemed strange to them to see and understand that he was in enough danger that he needed to arm himself.

It was something that those who had seen him as the most experienced teammate did not feel in turn.

"Hey, what happened to your head?" Davis asked suddenly, in a slightly blunt manner.

While the others almost turned to glare at him for unthoughtful, TK just blinked in surprise and gave a light laugh. "Oh, that was just me being stupid. I ran into a brick ceiling or something... I couldn't actually see it..."

"You were running away from those shadow things in the dark?" Matt crossed his arms and gave TK a stern look through the mirror. When TK stayed silent, Matt groaned. "TK, that's not being stupid, that's being in a bad situation and doing the best you can to get out of it!"

"Eh heh..." TK sheepishly rubbed his head. He decided to change the subject, as he seemed to be garnering various looks of pity and concern from twenty-three individuals on the other side of the mirror. "So, anyway... what have you guys been up to?"

The large group glanced at each other and nodded in unison. "We know how to help you," Ken answered for them.

Instantly, TK found himself back into the seriousness of everything. "You mean... there's actually other ways to get into the Dark Ocean?" he asked, thrilled that there might be a solution to his situation.

Wormmon, in Ken's arms, nodded in reply. "Yes, there are. There are access points and even a tower that has a direct door."

"But we're only going to the tower as a last resort because it's guarded by an army of evil digimon," Yolei added.

TK felt like he understood. "I get it... so..."

"Basically, we're coming to save you."

A smile spread across TK's face. "Seriously? Thank you guys... so much..." he felt incredibly gratified and relieved, happy for the news that he might be able to escape after all. "You have no idea how much this means for me..."

Davis pushed his way through to look at his friend. "It was really bad, huh? Don't worry, we have things under control. Mostly."

"Mostly?"

Kari could tell that some people wanted to hit Davis at that moment. After all, TK was a fairly perceptive person; he could quickly understand the underlying meanings to a lot of things that people said.

Sora took it upon herself to explain. "Okay, so the thing with the access points is that right now, there's some sort of huge problem involving the Digiworld and the Dark Ocean – darkness is flowing into the Digiworld through these access points."

She paused to see TK's reaction, apparently not wanting him to worry too much. From the serious look on his face, everyone could tell that he was much more concerned than she had hoped he would be. He nodded for her to continue going.

She continued, a bit uneasily. "Well, Gennai and his group are running around trying to close all of them right now. We have two access points that we can reach and are open, but of course there's darkness streaming out of them. If it turns out those don't work, we're taking on the tower."

TK's face turned expressionless. "I see," he said softly, not sure what to say otherwise. Then he showed a sense of worry to everyone. "Just... be safe. And maybe the darkness won't cause too much of a problem."

Kari glanced at him carefully. He looked mostly concerned for what was going on in terms of everything and the connections between worlds, but she could sense that he had underlying feelings that were hard to grasp. Something major was bothering him. She knew that he had not told the entire story of his dealings in the Dark Ocean, and likely he had not wanted to tell them to the group, of which she could understand, but it pained her slightly to see that he had become so secretive that he was trying to hide other concerns and thoughts from everyone.

Before she could say anything however, his expression changed to one of alarm. "Hey, guys? I... think the mirror's doing something weird? It's getting harder to see you," he spoke in the calmest voice he could, which was actually not much.

The group, having been so focused on TK, let their minds take close looks at the mirror. They gasped when they realized what TK was saying.

The mirror's glow was starting to fade... and with it, his image.

TK was equally surprised and shocked, and he finally lost his sense of calm. "Guys?!" he called out, running up the mirror and placing his hands on it, as though trying to enter through.

Everyone looked at Kari, who worriedly answered, "It must be wearing off or something... I'm not sure!"

Looking around, Tai finally winced and turned back to TK. "Listen, maybe we can get this crystal thing to work again, but maybe not, so just in case, don't worry! We're coming to get you out of there!"

TK watched as the images of his friends crowded around the mirror began to fade. He nodded in a determined manner, knowing that he would have to hold on where he was, no matter what happened. Soon, the glow around the mirror had vanished, and with it the others; all that was left was his reflection staring back at him.

On the other side, the entire group panicked at the disappearance of TK's image and the revival of their own reflections.

"What do we do?!" Patamon squealed, flying towards the mirror and banging his nose on it. "Work!" he yelled at it. "Start working again! Kari, Matt, do something!"

Cody reached up and gently tugged Patamon down. Normally he would let TK do something like that, but in TK's absence, someone else had to calm down the poor flustered digimon. Besides, he himself was still trying to accept the reality of everything that happened that day. "Patamon, it'll be all right... we'll think this out. Just calm down."

"I can't calm down!" Patamon wailed, trying to escape from Cody, who was forced to tighten his grip. "He's my partner! He's been in trouble, I have to help him! It's just going to get worse, I know it, he needs me there with him!"

The group watched Patamon sadly, being able to do nothing as Cody began hugging the small digimon, trying to console him. Patamon had stayed calm and mostly quiet ever since his partner had been captured by the Dark Ocean; now the digimon had finally lost his composure and gone hysterical. And more so, every being there could sympathize with him.

Matt finally shook his head and stepped forward, giving Patamon a gently rub on the head. "It'll be okay. Just watch... I bet I just have to do this again."

With that said, Matt pushed himself towards the front of the group, until he stood at the forefront and before the crystal wall. He grimaced as he squeezed his wounded thumb, but nodded in satisfaction and wiped a small bit of blood on the mirror again. "TK," he said, watching as the mirror glowed... and TK's image appeared on it once more.

The group, and even TK himself through the mirror, sighed in relief.

The doorway had returned, and those on both sides were thankful. "I'm glad I'm still able to see you," TK said sincerely, letting out a tensed breath and wiping his forehead. Enough time had passed that TK had sat down again, but now that the mirror connection had been regained, he jumped back to his feet.

Matt deftly hid his thumb from view, not wanting TK to know that it was blood that kept the mirror active. Relieved, he stepped back again. "Me too... we managed to get the mirror to keep working. I don't know how long it'll last though..."

"Well, is it... hard to keep the mirror going?" TK asked back, suddenly concerned for the others. Despite his own hardship, he felt responsible for whatever happened to the main group due to the problems that had arisen.

Matt shook his head. "Not really, but... well, I think we'll figure something out..."

TK paused, thoughtful as he watched the others. "Well, I'll be here... I'm not really going to be moving unless someone breaks down the door..."

"We'll check in on you," Yolei answered, gazing at everyone before resting her gaze on TK. "From time to time... we'll keep you updated on what's going on, and you can let us know how you're doing too. At least until we head off to those access points."

TK nodded. "All right. That sounds good." Then he blinked and squinted at the mirror. "Uh, the mirror's going fuzzy."

The group could tell that the link was fading again. Matt had only barely put any blood on the mirror in the first place.

"We'll keep talking to you," Kari spoke to him steadily, nodding to him as the image began to fade.

He only nodded in return as the mirror stopped glowing and grew cold and still again.

Quietly, the group stared at where TK's image had been, the growing knowledge of two things in their minds. For the time being, the boy was safe; however, it would not be that way for long. All it meant was that the situation was stable for the moment, until something else happened. As far as they knew, if they could enter the Dark Ocean, successfully rescue TK, and leave, the main problem would be solved.

However, if something happened to TK...

"We should get to bed soon so we can wake up earlier," Ken commented, glancing at the sky before looking at the mirror again. "That way, we'll be able to do this more quickly, and hopefully with less potential casualties."

Nodding, the group agreed. Starting to move away from the mirror, various partners began teaming up together to start preparing some sort of meal.

Then Patamon stopped them.

"Wait, if we're checking on him from time to time... how do we keep checking on him when Matt's asleep?" Patamon asked worriedly.

Veemon decided to butt in. "Well, we could always just wake him up!"

Matt looked thoughtful for a moment, then using his fingernail, reopened the wound on his thumb again. He glared as he waited for some blood to pool up. "There has to be a better way to do this," he muttered darkly. "I can't keep cutting myself... I'm just glad this is my left thumb so it won't affect my guitar playing much..."

Then he brushed the thumb across the mirror again. Nudging Patamon forward, he tapped the digimon lightly. "Say his name now."

Patamon shrugged. "Okay. TK."

The mirror glowed and swirled slightly, making the image of TK in the dark room appear again.

He looked slightly amused. "Hello again," he waved cheerfully.

Palmon stared at him briefly. "Are you trying to be... happy?"

He shrugged. "Better than moping in front of everyone about my doom, right?"

Palmon gave him a confused look. "Okay... I guess..."

By this point, everyone had reconvened around the mirror. "So, it worked," Matt answered happily. He turned around and addressed everyone. "So I'm not the only one this mirror works for..."

"You're the only person who could use the mirror?" TK asked, curious.

Matt spun around to face his brother. "Uh... yeah, as far as we knew earlier..."

TK nodded slowly in understanding. "I see..."

Biyomon popped forward and cocked her head to one side as she looked over him. "So, has anything changed since we last saw you?"

TK let out a low laugh. "Not really..."

Then he paused, looking at the group again. From the expression on his face, and the state of the mirror itself, everyone could only guess that the effect was wearing off again. "It's going out," Davis said sadly, watching TK's image. "Hey, stay safe TG."

"It's TK," the boy in question automatically answered, smiling as he thought about when the world had seemed much simpler. "Well until later then, I guess..."

As the image died on both sides, TK he dropped to the floor with a sigh, only relieved and happy that somehow, he had been able to see those he cared about, and knowing that they would continue to see if he was all right. Still, he felt that it would make him feel more at ease if he still had another person with him.

The large group of Digidestined and digimon, knowing that TK would be all right for the time being, moved away from the mirror. Now that they had their plans in action, and at the moment were ready to have a meal and sleep so they could fight and work the next day.

The first order of business involved night watches, which the first eight had become very familiar with. Of course, there were currently only seven of the eight present, but they knew how to work under the conditions of spending the night in the Digiworld with very little preparation.

Tai took charge of the operation. "All right... we're here for the night, and we'll be getting an early sleep so that we can have enough rest to fight and recover for everything. So, for night shifts, I vote that each person check on TK periodically to make sure he's still okay, and keep him company if he's awake... wake us up if something happens... anyway, who wants the first one?"

Cody wordlessly raised his hand, glancing to Armadillomon as he did so. As TK's DNA digivolving partner, he felt an obligation to help as much as he could. Armadillomon nodded in reply to his partner's willingness to do what he could for a fellow friend.

Tai shrugged. "Okay, Cody and Armadillomon on first shift. Who wants the next one?"

Matt crossed his arms and glared at the bushy-haired boy. "Me. TK's my brother, after all."

Kari quickly tapped Tai's shoulder. "In that case, I'll take... the second to last shift."

He nodded. "Okay, that leaves a few more people..."

Seeing her determined expression, Tai seemed to realize the internal tension within his sister. He moved forward and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. Kari welcomed it, feeling the strength from her older brother, taking in the comfort he was trying to convey.

"I think it's hard for everyone right now," he said softly, patting Kari gently before letting go.

Kari smiled in thanks to Tai, nodding and retreating from the large group. She knew that Tai was watching her, worried and wanting to jump in and help in some other more dramatic way, but was unsure how to. She did not mind though; she knew he had a large group of others to worry about. Besides, she now had the night to think before confronting TK. She wanted to talk to him alone during a time when he would likely be awake or waking up, but the others would still be asleep... at least, she hoped.

With the lack of something major to occupy her time with, Kari found a small place on the grass where she could think to herself. Feeling somewhat solitary, she sat herself down while watching as the others worked on figuring out the rest of the schedule for shifts that evening.

Before long, Gatomon and Patamon came up to her with a bundle of fruit. "Here, eat." Gatomon picked one piece up and offered it to her. "I can cut it for you if you want."

Kari took the fruit. "That's all right Gatomon. But thank you for the fruit," she answered, lifting Gatomon up and into her lap. Seeing Patamon looking slightly lonely, she lifted up the digimon and also set him into her lap as well. With that, the three of them sat and ate in silence, isolated from the rest of the group that was now starting on gathering food for the evening meal and preparing for bed, knowing what might come the next day.

Before long, something drew her attention.

"Hey guys, over here. I have an idea," Izzy motioned towards Matt and Joe, while grabbing Agumon over at the same time. Glancing at the three, he nodded first to Joe. "Joe, go get some wood and carve out a cup or bowl or something... something that'll hold liquid. I know you have a pocketknife. You get to do the job later too. Agumon, go make a campfire. Matt, find some bandages."

Joe calmly left to go find a decent piece of wood. While he did that, Agumon retreated, turned, and began calling to the other digimon. "Hey guys, let's go get some firewood and make a campfire!"

As he left as well, Matt turned to Izzy, a confused look on his face. "And I have to get bandages why?"

Izzy looked pointedly at Matt. Then Matt understood and went pale.

"What?!" he yelped. "I'm already cutting myself and now you're going to bleed me?! What is this?!"

Izzy glared at him. "You want to help TK, right?"

"Of course I do! I'm perfectly fine with just reopening this cut for a while."

"Do you really want us to wake you up every hour so you can do that?"

Matt went silent. "...oh. Pulling an all-nighter is out of the question then, I guess."

Gabumon trotted over, patting Matt gently on the leg. "You're just in Big Brother mode. It's okay, whatever Izzy wants will just make things easier for everyone to check on TK."

Matt sighed, and nodded quietly. "...Yeah. I'm being really stupid about this, aren't I?"

"Yes," Tentomon answered frankly, buzzing behind Izzy's head.

The two glared at each other briefly before they were interrupted by Tai, who had walked over to see what was going on. "What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"Donating blood," Izzy answered before Matt could say anything, giving him a stern look. The older boy quietly decided it best to stay silent about the matter. Besides, it was for the purpose of helping his brother.

Kari moved her attention away from the group of boys preparing for something she did not want to think much about. It reminded her too much of what TK might have been hiding, and what sort of things could happen in the Dark Ocean. Still, she wanted to spend a bit of time in her own thoughts, thinking about what was to come and what she wanted to do.

In all actuality, she was very relieved that TK was all right. So far, he had survived against whatever thing had been after him, which was a good thing. Still, she could feel that he was troubled; for that reason, she was going to talk to him alone. She knew there were many things that he would tell only her, Matt, or Patamon; she wanted to know for herself what he was actually thinking.

The next day worried her. She was beginning to have doubts and strange feelings about what was to come; she did not know why, but she just felt uneasy. She knew that the entire group was planning to try the two access points, then tackle the tower if need be, but something scared her about the tower. In fact, the entire operation frightened her for some reason that she could not pinpoint.

Lost in her thoughts, she only barely registered the fact that Agumon and Gabumon walked by her carrying bundles of wood. Blinking, she remembered vaguely what Agumon had been told to do by Izzy, and what Izzy's plan was.

Her mind switched straight back to the only thing of interest in the area.

"No, we're going to do this in a sanitary fashion, hence the campfire," Izzy replied, watching as Joe busily carved out the cup. The older boy had found a small piece of wood and was now carefully making it into a makeshift object.

Matt watched as well, before seeing Gabumon approach behind Agumon. "So, you're helping too?" he asked his partner.

Gabumon nodded as he walked by. "Yes, since you are not only my partner and friend, but because there is much to be done if we want this to work."

"You have a good point... I feel like I have the easy job."

Tai nudged Matt gently. The blond jumped; Tai laughed at him. "I don't get you sometimes," he joked. "You can jump in a freezing lake after an angry Seadramon and let yourself get shot with light arrows, but you get nervous when someone wants to make a cut in your arm?"

"I can get nervous whenever I want to."

Joe finished with his carving job, holding up the crude cup to look at his handiwork. He glanced over at the two bickering boys, one smirking and the other looking slightly pale. "Well, I'm done with this," he announced, holding it out. Izzy automatically went forward and took it.

With that, Joe approached the stack of wood that Agumon and Gabumon had just finished making. He glanced at the pocketknife in his hand, wincing slightly. "Interesting development," he commented.

As the others approached, Agumon took it to himself and moved to the wood. "Pepper Breath!" he shouted as he flamed the wood, turning it into a small campfire that, as it had just started burning, was not unbearably hot to come close to.

Then carefully, Joe poked the end of the pocketknife into the fire.

Kari decided to turn her attention again away from the boys to the others in the area. She could see that Mimi and Sora, along with Palmon and Biyomon, were off by themselves making piles of fruit, leaves, flowers, and other edible items close to the camp area. They were telling the others nearby, the younger Digidestined group, to make themselves useful and eat.

It seemed as though they were trying to keep the spirits of everyone up, knowing that what might come later could be unpleasant. Kari had to appreciate that part of them, and the fact that they seemed so motherly to the entire group.

The younger Digidestined had created a small circle of themselves, not doing anything but apparently thinking to themselves and occasionally peeking over to where Tai and the other older boys were. Kari realized that although she herself was becoming solitary within the group due to her thoughts involving TK and the darkness, the others her age worried just as much as she did. She felt as though the major difference though involved the fact that she had known TK for longer, and there was a connection that she could feel involving darkness and light... and hope, for that matter.

Again, the older boys drew her attention; however, apparently their actions were also causing the others to stare at them as well.

A couple of minutes had passed since she had last looked over towards them. Matt, who was beginning to show very visible signs of becoming nervous, poked the older boy in the shoulder.

Joe shrugged and pulled the pocketknife out. "It's not a loop for spreading bacteria on an agar plate, I guess it doesn't need to be red hot."

Matt went pale. "You're letting that cool first, right?"

"Of course I am," Joe looked at Matt quizzically. "I don't want to hurt you more than I have to."

"Okay... that's a good thing..."

"Oh lighten up already, you big mushroom."

Kari had to giggle. Leave it to Gomamon to try to lighten the mood. She was not sure if she could agree with his proclamation of Matt as a mushroom though.

For some reason, Kari was getting a strange feeling from what the boys were doing. It reminded her of something that she could not grasp; the meaning of it slipped from her mind, refusing to come to her.

Izzy handed the cup to Gabumon, who seemed in a better position to be doing so, and the digimon moved to Matt's side. As he did so, Matt dropped down to the ground, sitting down and watching. Joe already had the knife ready, and having touched the opposite side of it, seemed to deem it cool enough to use safely.

"Ready?" Joe asked.

Matt gritted his teeth and pulled up the sleeve of his left arm. Then he deftly turned his head away. "Yeah," he answered, focusing very intently on the bark of a nearby tree.

Kari decided not to watch, and closed her eyes. Unfortunately, it seemed as though every being in the camp was paying more attention to the antics of the older boys, which meant that there was nothing to drown out the light gasp of pain that came from Matt a moment later.

Then she opened her eyes again when she heard Tai's comment.

"Good job Matt, you should get a sticker and a lollipop."

'Tai, that was not funny."

Everyone stared and watched as Gabumon moved carefully to catch the blood dripping off of Matt's arm in the cup he held. Now that the initial part was over, all the group did was wait.

"You know, this is really, really disturbing," Matt commented, transfixed.

Joe let out a hollow laugh. "Huh. Now I'm worried about becoming a doctor."

"Don't be. Just be all hospital friendly and use a needle when you can. I think now I like needles better."

"Well, they are cleaner," Tai put in as well.

From the side, Izzy shrugged. "We did what we could with no medical equipment. All we have is our closest-to-doctor Digidestined."

Joe shrugged. "On that note, I should probably go sterilize the knife again." He glanced at it; the sharp tip was lightly painted red now.

Agumon grabbed it from his hand, looking at him pointedly and in suggestion. "I'll do it, because I can work with fire pretty easily. Why don't you look after Matt?"

"Okay. I'm fine with that."

As Agumon left with the knife, Joe moved around Matt to where the blond was holding a set of bandages in his right hand. "Here Matt, can I have those?"

Matt handed them to Joe without a word; from there, they waited.

Kari was beginning to find the process very strange.

Finally, Gabumon moved away with his now mostly full cup, looking as though he wanted to give his partner a hug. In the meantime, Matt watched as Tai held up the cut arm and Joe began to bind up the wound. "I guess that wasn't so bad," he shrugged, laughing weakly.

"You're just a big weenie," Tai mock punched Matt's shoulder, grinning somewhat as he did so.

"Well, my crest isn't Courage," Matt shot back in defense playfully. Then he turned back to Joe, looking at the bandaging job. He grimaced slightly. "This is just an easy patch-up bandaid sort of thing right? Only with a roll of gauze bandages. No tourniquet, right?"

Joe simply continued to wrap the gauze around Matt's arm. "A tourniquet would be used to cut off circulation in your arm so we could kill it and then chop it off," he explained very matter-of-factly.

Matt paled again. "I should really just stop asking you questions," he muttered.

Kari found her strange interest in what was going on with the blood-letting operation end, and she shuddered, wondering what was wrong with her. Inwardly, she forced herself to think objectively about it. _This is so we can all speak to TK when we need to without waking up Matt every hour. This is a good thing, it's to help him... both brothers, really..._

For some reason though, she still felt more uneasy about it than she supposed she might ordinarily. She had some strange feelings about the events that were to come, and what she had just been watching made her worry more.

She supposed she could only wait and see what happened in the near future.

Quietly, Kari picked up both digimon. "We're going to go rejoin everyone now," she told them softly with a light smile on her face. Then she moved from her spot to come to where the others were. After all, she could not spend all of her time in depression and isolation without losing her mind, and everything that kept her a child of light.

------

A hand gently shook her shoulder.

"Kari. Hey Kari, wake up. It's your shift now."

Kari groaned and stretched, rolling over away from the warm fuzzy figure she had been cuddling with, and gradually brought herself to her knees. After a yawn, she forced herself to stand, wobbling slightly as she did so.

The cold night air stung her face, bringing her to her senses. Suddenly alert, she looked around, aware of the dark area and the twinkling stars above.

She shivered and hugged her arms close around her body, trying to warm herself in the day's early hours. Then she pushed her mind from the immediate sensory input of her surroundings and towards something else that was on her mind.

Yolei and Hawkmon watched her, looking a bit sleepy. Kari glanced at the two. "How is he?" she asked.

"Asleep but fidgeting a lot the last time I checked," Yolei answered, holding back a yawn. "You might want to check yourself though."

Kari nodded. "Okay. Get some sleep you two."

Hawkmon yawned as well, holding onto one of Yolei's legs. "Will do."

Kari smiled. "Good night then."

She went past them, waving while starting to move towards the mirror. Behind her, she heard a loud whisper from Hawkmon. "Aren't you going to wake up Gatomon too?"

"I will in a bit... I think she deserves some sleep though," Kari answered.

"Oh, okay then. Good night."

"Good night. Both of you."

As the two entered the large pile of sleeping bodies and found a small place to curl up and rest, Kari left and instead moved herself towards the mirror.

Still shivering, she approached it until she stood before the large sheet of crystal, seeing her huddled reflection through it. Knowing it best to at least keep an eye out around the actual camping area, but wanting to see if TK was all right, she took a tentative step forward as she went through the debate in her mind.

After a couple more halted steps, she finally turned around and began jogging around the perimeter of the area. She still had a responsibility to watch over those who were sleeping after all... she also wanted to give Yolei and Hawkmon some time to start sleeping. Plus, the jog would warm up her cold body.

It was still dark outside, but she could see fairly clearly. As the cool night air swept past her, and the she heard crisp sound of the soft grass crunching underneath her shoes, she made her way around the area to check for any signs of something out of place. However, she felt a sense of confidence that the area was still safe, and that no one would come to attack soon. She could only hope this was the case, as she knew that within a few hours flying time were many who might wish the Digidestined ill fates.

Eventually, Kari returned to the mirror, panting slightly. No longer cold, she glanced at her reflection. The girl looking back still seemed fragile, but no longer helpless... instead, she seemed determined to do what she could to help others. And there was one person in particular that needed her help, whether he be asleep or not.

Kari carefully dipped her fingers into the cup, and began to wipe as much as she could onto the mirror, not wanting to waste the precious life fluid that Matt had given. Somehow, it still disturbed her a great deal to know that she was dealing with another person's blood, but she knew it was necessary.

Finally, she could do no more to the mirror. "TK," she spoke.

The mirror glowed, and the image of TK and the room he was in appeared before her. She looked in carefully, seeing that indeed TK was lying down on the floor, seemingly asleep.

However, he then rolled over and widened his eyes in surprise at her.

He yawned. "Hi Kari," he sat up, but remained sitting on the floor.

Kari dropped down onto the grass to meet his eyes better. "Hi TK," she greeted him as well, letting her legs sprawl to one side as she sat. "Did I bother you?"

TK shook his head. "No, I just woke up not too long ago. It's been kind of hard to sleep."

"For good reason."

The two of them let out hollow laughs, knowing how dire the situation actually was.

Then TK glanced over Kari and the small cup to the corner. He winced slightly. "How is Matt by the way, after Izzy's bleeding of him?"

Kari blinked in surprise, knowing that the group had been trying to hide the fact that blood was being used to work the mirror. "You... you know about that?" she asked weakly.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I managed to talk it out of him during his shift."

Kari sighed in return. "Well, we're letting him sleep now, since he already finished his shift... and he'll be tired and a bit lightheaded anyway. Losing blood tends to do that."

"Good point. Well... anything interesting happened yet?"

She shook her head. "No... just that this is the second to last shift. Meaning that everyone will wake up in a couple of hours and head off to that first access point."

TK sighed, letting his gaze fall to the floor before him. He could only hope that it would be enough time for them to find a way into the Dark Ocean. After all, he was beginning to have a strange tugging feeling, as though it was a premonition that something would occur soon.

For a few moments, the two stayed silent, watching each other through the mirror.

Then TK finally cracked a smile. "You look kind of tired, Kari. But then again, I guess we all are right now?"

She shook her head. "I'm only tired because Yolei woke me up a few minutes ago so I could be on watch right now. It's okay, I wanted to see if you were still all right."

He looked at her quizzically. "Of course I'm still all right, I'm just hiding out right now."

Kari gave him a concerned glare. "TK, I know you don't really like to tell people things that might make them worried. But there's something else on your mind right now."

TK looked at her for a few tense moments, and then let his mask drop. "You're right, Kari... you've known me for so long, you can tell, huh?"

"It's because I can remember when a sweet little boy once ran up to try and defend me with a group of others, against a certain vampire-like digimon," Kari jibed quietly with a small upturn of the corner of her mouth. She poked the mirror where his shoulder would have been had the mirror not been between them. "And every person has another side."

Despite himself, TK let out a low chuckle. "True... some people more than others..."

"Particularly you," she pointed out, giving him a knowing look. "I know you tried to keep it from the others earlier, but at least Matt and Patamon could tell something was slightly wrong."

He looked back at her, suddenly feeling unsure and nervous. "It's just some of what I've been thinking about lately, that's all."

She only gazed at him expectantly, as though knowing that he was trying to hide what he was feeling and determined to help in whatever way possible. Only, what he was feeling was something that had to be told, or experienced first hand. The two of them looked at each other, staring silently for a period of time, as though having a mind-battle of will, based on the trust they had for each other.

Kari won.

TK looked down in a forlorn manner, weary from what he had recently been through. "I..." he could not find it within himself to tell Kari what he was prepared for. Staring at the floor, he finally breathed it out. "I don't know how long I can last."

Kari seemed unable to answer, so he continued, letting his concerns pour out. "I've... never been this afraid in my life. It's these dark things... they just keep coming after me." He clenched a fist. "I still don't know what they want with me. And it's not just that I see them and they're scary, but... it's like I can sense where they are, and what they want to do. And that feeling of darkness from them just... kind of..."

TK shuddered. He knew that Kari understood what he was feeling.

"I was afraid in my dreams, and now of course it's worse, having the real thing, and knowing that they'll come for me soon gives me this weird feeling that something very bad is about to happen. I know when I finally gave in, I wanted to come so that I could face the darkness and find out why it's been targeting people... like you, Kari. Maybe even Ken.

"But I can't do it. I'm not brave, or strong enough... I can't do anything. I'm just helpless. All I can do is keep hoping that something good will come out of this, because that's all I've ever been good for."

"That's not true," Kari interjected, looking him in the eyes. She recognized TK's words as old feelings she had felt for herself for a long time. He blinked in surprise as he looked back at her, the sadness in his face fading slightly. She took a breath. "TK, you're one of the strongest people I know... do you realize how many times you've saved everyone? I haven't forgotten... years ago, with Piedmon, or even just last year, when you came to save me from the Dark Ocean. You've always been a guardian, even before you truly knew it. But even guardians need saving sometimes, TK."

He stayed silent for a few moments, before murmuring, "Thank you, Kari, but still..."

"TK, remember who you are. Just have some faith!" she pressed her hands against the mirror. "We're coming to save you, you know that."

"But it's my fault you have to! What happens if the open access points have so much darkness that you can't go in?" TK suddenly argued, concern in his eyes. "Then that means that you'll try going through that tower, and who knows what will happen to you and everyone! And I'll be the one responsible because it's me everyone's trying to help!"

" Listen, things will get better. Everything'll be all right. And TK, nothing is your fault."

He gazed at her, not accepting her words. She took a deep breath and continued. "Whatever happens, happens. You didn't really choose to go to the Dark Ocean – it took you by itself. You fought it for so long, and when you were finally taken, you decided that you would find out why it wanted you instead of simply giving up. It's not your fault you ended up there. Blame the Dark Ocean for that."

"But - "

"And we're saving you because we _want_ to," she cut him off. "We care about you and don't want to see you hurt. Do you know how much we worried, earlier? How scared I was for you? I've been to the Dark Ocean before, I know what sorts of horrors it has... and so have Ken and Yolei, for that matter! We're your friends, and friends support and help each other."

TK only looked down, distraught and dejected.

At that, Kari glared so strongly at TK that he almost had to jump back from the mirror. "What happened to you?" she asked softly, and a little bit irritated, apparently. "You're acting like, like..." she paused for a moment, lost for words, before one thing popped into her mind. "Like Joe!"

At that comment, TK suddenly began laughing. Kari paused in surprise, seeing as TK had been in such a depressed mood and the sudden release of something other than that was unexpected.

To TK, the sudden reference reminded him of how the older boy had acted years earlier, before he had changed and become a braver, more resolute person. At the same time, he realized that he had been acting somewhat ridiculous; after all, the others did have their plan. He simply had to hold out, fight if need be, just survive, even if it meant that he would be unable to discover why the Dark Ocean had been after everyone, and what was wrong with it.

Ending his laughing with one last chuckle, he finally made eye contact with Kari. "You're right," he admitted, holding his head. "I keep acting like it's the end of the world... which it very well might be... but hopefully things will work out."

Kari nodded, relieved that TK had come to his senses. She realized that she would have at least shaken him, had she been able to. "Yeah. Things will."

TK could tell that she wanted to ask more. "I know... you're still worried about me and everything though," he spoke before she could say anything.

"Because I know that _you're_ still worried," she answered, looking at him sternly. She motioned for him to continue speaking.

He glanced back at her, unsure how to go on. After fumbling with explanations in his mind, he finally managed to find the words again. "Well... I was already angry at the darkness, but I never realized how strong it is here... and it's like, I can tell where those dark monsters are when I can't see them, because I can just feel them. It's not really a good feeling either, it's like something corrupted and sick at the same time, that is ready to consume and destroy." Seeing her expression, he gave a hollow laugh. "I guess you would know..."

Kari only shrugged in memory of what she had been through previously, and gazed back at him intently.

Taking her cue, he kept going. "I guess earlier, I was going on about not knowing how long I could last... part of it is because I think they know where I am. They know I'm here, and it's only a matter of time before they come for me. It's like I'm waiting for the inevitable, just until they begin breaking down the door and I have to fight against them. But I can't win against them, all I can do is buy some time. And for that matter, I don't know how much time I have left."

He could feel his concerns starting to pour out of him, and he felt the need to keep speaking, to let someone know what he was thinking about everything.

"I have no idea what those dark things want; I don't know if I'll live, or be captured, or end up brainwashed or something. And I'm worried about everyone else too – what if they end up having to fight an entire army or something of these things? Or worse, like maybe Ultimate level evil digimon that want revenge? And whoever those dark monsters are, they can't be the only things here. And is this world even just a place for dark creatures to live, or is there something else here that's behind them and commanding them? And why have they been after people like you and Ken? And me, now?

"And... Kari, have these sorts of things ever happened to you?" TK asked, feeling more confused and frantic. "I keep seeing auras around people... and I keep feeling like I'm sensing what's going to happen... I had those dreams, and now I get these weird feelings every time I see something relating to it. Like..." he motioned to the cup of blood sitting innocently on the ground next to Kari. "That. I see that and I'm strongly reminded of something not so nice in the dreams I kept having. This entire place is becoming like a... what's the word, manifestation, of the dreams."

Kari watched as he paused, looking down and clenching his fists in his uncertainty. She realized he had mentioned his dreams multiple times now; she remembered having hers not long before her own brush with the Dark Ocean. Quietly, she folded her hands on her lap. "TK... tell me what your dreams were like."

He glanced at her, unsure. "Well... um..." he started, knowing that his dreams were not the most comforting of things. He could not bring himself to tell her; he did not want her to worry. But the look in her eyes was compelling him to speak. Still, he found it difficult to say anything. In the moment of his hesitation, he broke eye contact with her and focused his attention on the bottom frame of the mirror.

Kari could tell he was having trouble. "Never mind," she shook her head, smiling at him in a comforting manner. She scooted herself forward and touched the mirror, in her best representation of a reassuring hand on TK's shoulder, as that physically could not happen. "Just tell me what happens at the end, then."

TK stayed silent for a moment, keeping his eyes lowered towards the ground. Even though he had had the dream many times, he still found it hard to comprehend what exactly had happened during it. Most of what he had experienced in it involved the darkness and everything he had come across in the realm Dark Ocean.

Finally, remembering the feelings he had felt during the last part of the dreams and the sorts of things that did happen, he stirred up the willpower within him to speak. "I... think I drowned."

Kari stared at him wide-eyed, but he did not raise his gaze.

"Or something like that..." he continued, able to go on because he had made himself start. "It's hard to describe. A ton of things happened all at once, and I couldn't move at all because something was holding me where I was. The Dark Ocean and darkness were involved in it too," he ended his thoughts, unsure of how to detail it. He had also run out of the will to go it any further.

TK only heard silence from her. Raising his head, he could see that she looked distant, as though rethinking her own thoughts and troubled by what she had heard. She took a couple deep breaths, closing her eyes and clasping her hands together in her anxiousness.

Then she spoke.

"I'm scared, TK. Who knows what will happen?"

He shook his head in reply. "I guess, we can only hope... that everything does stay all right."

Kari pushed herself up to the mirror, as close as she could come without smashing herself against it. "I'm so sorry... I can also feel that something dark is coming up... not just for you, but for everyone... It's making me afraid for everything."

Her words frightened TK, mostly because he had been having the same feelings recently. However, he decided to not tell Kari this, because she already knew. And for some strange reason, somewhere within himself, he was finding the strength to believe that whatever happened in the near future, would turn itself right again.

He touched the mirror with one hand, as close as he could come to comforting Kari. "In the greatest darkness, there is always a light that leads out of it," he said quietly.

Kari closed her eyes and smiled sadly. Then she brought her hand forward and touched it to TK's though she could only feel the flat, cold surface of the mirror. "And that light is called Hope."

The two stayed silent for a few moments, just staying as they were. It lasted for a while, as they sat in the cold darkness of an open forest clearing, and the dusty ruins of an apartment in a shadowed world. Somehow, if they tried, they could believe that in some way, they were in the same world, and the mirror between them did not exist; in that way, they felt comforted and peaceful just knowing that neither was alone.

"TK... please don't die."

TK blinked for a moment, surprised that Kari would say that.

Before he could tell her not to worry, she took her hand from the mirror and looked over him, feeling somewhat guilty. "I'm sorry for keeping you awake," she said quietly, noting that he still looked exhausted. "I know you're tired, and what with everything that's happened..."

TK shook his head. "I don't mind, Kari," he reassured her. With a wistful look in his eyes, he added, "I'm glad the mirror is here... and I'm happy that I can keep talking with you and everything. It makes me feel like I'm not alone."

"You don't have to be alone if you don't want to," Kari answered softly, as she leaned forward against the mirror. She could almost feel TK's physical presence next to her, despite the fact that she knew they were in different worlds. "I'll stay here with you while the mirror still works," she proffered.

He nodded peacefully. "You know... that would be nice."

Kari could still tell that TK was tired beyond belief. "TK, just sleep," she told him gently. "You have to recover from everything, right?"

"But..."

"I'll watch you," she cut in, smiling. "And if I notice something, I'll wake you up... and everyone else up too, so we can get moving if something bad happens."

The knowledge of their previous conversation rung in those words. However, despite the feelings of the future, just knowing that someone was watching gave TK a sense of ease. He blinked tiredly for a few moments, before closing his eyes in gratitude. Then he leaned against the mirror until he rested against it, curled up into a ball. He trusted her, and with everything that had happened, he took her words to heart. As he closed his eyes and drowsily let himself fall back into an exhaustion-induced sleep, he whispered, "Thank you, Kari."

Kari let herself rest against where his image was. Even though she could feel nothing but the cool crystal of the mirror, it seemed as though they were very close and nearly touching. If the mirror had not been there... if there was no barrier between them, they would have been together.

"I guess it's my turn to try being a guardian for you," she murmured. "But it'll be all right... we're going to save you. And no matter where you are, someone is thinking of you, and you're still meaningful to them."

"So does that mean I'm never actually alone?" came his mumbled reply.

She giggled at him. "What do you think?"

The peaceful smile on his face told her more than any more words could say.


	10. Capture

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I own the Spawn... at least, the name. Their species is based off of something seen in the show though, although I guess these things are a lot more malicious... and I don't own the antagonist, actually.

A/N: It's a major major turning point chapter. Actually, this was not so difficult to write... maybe because I've had this scene planned out a bit for a while. I just slacked off a little during the last few weeks. The story is also more that halfway done now. What happens in this chapter is pretty vital for what happens in the rest of the story... for obvious reasons, once you read it.

Anway, I'll stop talking and let you read. Constructive crticism again - thank you, to CrestOfHealing, who gave some advice in a review. I kept those comments in mind while writing - let me know if it's any better. I'll keep working on it. Constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thanks!

* * *

_**Capture**_

Something woke TK up. He jumped slightly, not quite sure what it was; it was more intuition, a premonition, or something... something that could only be sensed or felt.

He shook his head, dispelling some of the sleepiness from his mind. Yawning, he glanced at the mirror where he had last seen Kari leaning against the surface. He suddenly recalled that the mirror only worked for so long; now, it was dark, showing only his own reflection... that of a tired, bruised and scraped boy with a hidden darkness in his eyes. TK blinked in surprise when he realized what he had become, and inwardly tried to remember and think of what Kari had told him, to lift his spirits.

Pulling himself to his feet, TK staggered towards the back wall. He could feel both fatigue and dizziness; he supposed it was from lack of food or water in the last however many hours he had been in the realm of the Dark Ocean. Knowing not to leave the apartment, he decided to search around... maybe the pipes would still be working, or maybe there would be something edible.

With that, he carefully picked up the hand axe for good measure, and left the room with the mirror. He only hoped that the group would not check on him while he was temporarily gone.

He entered the main room area, filled with the remains of furniture and a large barricade he had worked on making earlier. He could see his own footprints where he had trod on the dust that coated nearly everything there, giving the place a grey overtone. He winced slightly, realizing that most food would have rotted away long before... it seemed he would not be able to eat.

Somehow, the stresses of the previous day had taken away his appetite for the most part until that moment. No longer under immediate threat and without the extra adrenaline, he had the time to feel hunger and think. The sleep earlier had given him some rest, as he felt more refreshed than he had when he had first entered the apartment. And now that all he could do was wait for the group to find him, or until the door of the apartment was broken down, he realized that he still needed to take care of himself in some way.

_TK... please don't die..._

Kari's words echoed in his head. He would have to do whatever he could to make sure that he kept to them... and he still had the hopes that everything would turn out all right. He was the Digidestined of Hope, after all.

Moving towards what seemed like the remains of what might have been a kitchen, TK gently set the axe on a counter and carefully opened a cabinet. He immediately closed it; it was empty. He reached for the next one, noting that something smelled off; one peek inside had him slamming it shut. The rancid odor told him the rest.

A quick search of the remaining cabinets found him nothing but rotted remains and what looked like rocks saturated in dust. Sighing, he shut the last one. He supposed he would have to wait until he reached a world where everything was still alive, not abandoned and dying like this realm.

Going towards the sink, he decided to test and see if there was even any water connecting to the building any more. He slowly turned the knob to see if anything would come out of the faucet.

Black.

He yelped and shut the water off. Staring at the bottom of the sink, he found himself looking into the depths of what looked like ink. Or at least... watered down ink. The water that had come out was stained, as though darkness ran through it.

A moment's thought, and TK found himself chuckling at his stupidity. The Dark Ocean was known for its dark waters, and he could feel the strength of the corrupt evil emanating from it. Strangely, he thought as he looked down that he could sense more than just what was in that splash of water.

Maybe, having been exposed to darkness for longer now, he could sense it more keenly than before. He briefly wondered if his awareness of the darkness was the same as what Kari and Ken could both feel. For both of them, it was something they had had to overcome. But for him, what was it, really?

Backing slowly away from the sink, TK decided it best to wait out his situation. He retrieved the hand axe, and trotting through the wreckage and dust, made his way back to the room where the mirror was. He thought about the place he was in as he did so, wondering if the Dark Ocean really was just a mirror image of Odaiba, or something else.

Was it what Odaiba would be if the darkness came? Would it be transformed into this abandoned, ruined, dead place reflected in everything he saw? Or had anyone actually lived in the Dark Ocean before... and the ruins of city he was in now was in fact the remnants of a thriving place that had been destroyed by the darkness?

A sense of doom interrupted his thoughts, and he turned straight towards the barricaded door. The feeling he received only continued to strengthen, and he recognized it as an approach. An approach of what he had been running from... they were coming.

TK panicked. Images and memories of everything that had previously happened flooded his head. Frozen, he gripped the weapon in his hand and found his mind racing, unable to focus or do anything.

Years of fighting evil and going through unexpected dangers brought his level-headedness back. He automatically shook his head, and did one of two things he could possible do in his situation.

Backing away from the door, he finally turned and reentered the room where the mirror was. He rushed up towards it with his heart pounding. He knew his time was limited, and the inevitable had come, but somehow the only thing in his mind was to try and talk to Kari, and the others.

The mirror stared blankly at him, cold and unresponsive. From where he was now, it looked like a completely ordinary mirror, simply reflecting his image.

Quietly, he touched the mirror, unsure if anything would happen. After a few moments, with no activity from the mirror, he spoke. "Uh... hello? Kari? Anyone?"

Nothing happened.

He banged his head on it in exasperation. "Come on, I need you to turn on now..." he muttered, running his hands over the rim. "Please? Matt? Patamon? Cody? Tai? Turn on?"

Still no response. Dejectedly, he let himself fall to the floor, knowing that his only hope for salvation lay on the other side of the connection, but he could not contact anyone. The mirror the others were using apparently only worked from that direction. He supposed if he was truly desperate, he could try reopening one of his numerous cuts and seeing if that worked at all.

The sense of foreboding became even stronger. TK shivered, sitting where he was in wait of the inevitable. He was starting to feel, in his blood, the chill of darkness as it reached out towards any source of light, and the power that came with it. He clenched his hand even tighter around the axe, his knuckles turning white with tension.

BANG.

He jumped, and then realized that the sound came from beyond the wall and the apartment he was in. Instinctively, he jumped away, seeing that the darkness was still reaching out and now, without a doubt, he was within its reach. He let out a half-held breath, that came out jagged and harsh.

The apprehension was starting to get to him, he thought. Inwardly, he tried to pull the courage together to fight and resist, if he could. _They've come... I'm not going down without a fight. Even if I'm not Tai or Davis, I still have some courage. They're going to come at some point, everything'll be all right. I can't just give in..._

The dark aura suddenly left. TK blinked in surprise as his sensing of that which had come for him disappeared, and he did not know quite what had happened. Feeling relief inside, he let out a large sigh. Still, he kept the axe close. He had no idea when it would come back, and he was sure that the darkness had noticed him.

Then his hair stood on end as something reflective behind him flared in power.

He was starting to wonder about the entire "sensing of power" ability he'd been having.

Kari could apparently tell that something was very wrong the moment TK turned to the mirror. "Did something happen?" she asked.

TK looked at her with a despairing look on his face. "They're here."

She gasped and turned white. "Oh no..." she whispered softly, bringing a hand to her mouth.

He only nodded in reply, looking towards the floor and feeling his body tense. He could not grip the axe any tighter, and his arm was beginning to shake, but he did not care.

Kari suddenly recomposed herself, and gave him a determined stare. "Just wait for a few moments... I'm going to get everyone going so we can help you. Then I'm coming back, okay?"

"Okay." TK nodded.

With that and a last look at him, she rushed away and out of the view of the mirror.

Help was coming. TK knew that it might be nearly impossible or difficult for them to come to him in time though, if his hunches about the darkness were correct. It had left for the time being, but he had the feeling that it would soon return... and this time it would go towards the correct apartment.

He had to hope. Hope had kept him alive in the past, and it had so far, and he had to survive and live through what was happening. He was hoping for a miracle, some sort of anything, that might deter the dark beings until he was rescued, or even for something to happen that might solve everything. That was a good thought. If only he could keep thinking optimistically.

Suddenly, an onslaught of negative energy came pouring through everything. TK felt choked, his breath stifled by the darkness coming from outside the apartment. It was a first attack, and the sign that he was truly in danger now. It seemed to batter him like ice shards would, or even broken glass; he gritted his teeth as pain and coldness came over him. He felt as though everything would freeze, until it could be shattered with nothing more than a touch by those from the darkness.

A warm yellow glow surrounded him in response. Feeling his senses return, TK unclipped his D3 and held it in one hand with the axe in the other. At least he was not unarmed; he had a tool of light, and the weapon to fight with. Maybe his sense of hope would help him as well, as it was now.

BANG.

He jumped in response, but it was not the noise that bothered him – it was the fact that it came from the entrance to the apartment. He could feel his heart fluttering, beating so quickly that it was losing control and almost going insane. He tried to take deep breaths to calm himself down, still knowing that it would fail. The darkness was coming for him, and it was almost there.

Another bang. TK felt a bead of cold sweat drip down his face, and he gulped as he prepared for the worst.

"TK!"

The mirror was still active. TK turned towards it, to see nearly the entire group clustered in it. He could see that some of the digimon were missing though; however, from the sight of a few glowing digivices, he knew what was going on.

Matt was the one talking, pushing himself up against the mirror as though in a futile attempt to reach and physically comfort his brother. "We're getting ready to go; the digimon are digivolving right now, we'll be there as soon as we can. Hold on for as long as you can..."

The older boy choked, as though only trying to convince himself that everything would be all right. TK wanted to run up to the mirror and tell his brother that things _would_ be all right, that in the end the darkness would be defeated and that they would be safe in the normal world again, but somehow he could not. Inside himself, he knew there was the possibility of failure, and what it meant for him and everyone.

"You won't be alone, we're coming to save you," Tai continued for his friend, as he himself had a brotherly feel towards TK. "We'll be as fast as we can - "

The single bang had turned into a series of pounding and mad beating. TK thought he heard the sound of something breaking, and his worry for the situation grew tenfold.

TK gazed sadly at everyone through the mirror. "I... I'll do my best not to give in..." he said, finally voicing what was in his mind. "I can't promise anything. The darkness... it's here. I'm sorry I can't hold on any longer against them, but there's nowhere else to run. I don't know what'll happen."

A pulse wave ran through everything. TK had to stop talking as it ran through his body, the light aura flaring up to high visibility as it shielded him from the worst of it. He could hear the gasps of others through the mirror, and he realized that they had suddenly seen it as well. Still, he felt pain freeze his body into submission, forcing him to his knees.

As he groaned and looked towards where the entrance to the apartment was located, outside of the room he was in, the others through the mirror cried out in concern. "TK, we'll be there for you!" Patamon shouted.

TK however, heard the splintering of furniture and the sounds of objects being thrown across the room, breaking apart as they hit walls. He rose to his feet again. It felt like the end.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, barely loud enough for everyone to hear. "I guess...this is it... it's been fun, everything in the past, from all those fun times and adventures we had to all the support and friendship we've shared."

He turned his head and smiled slightly.

"Thank you."

He did not want them to see. He knew he could not fend off the dark creatures for long, he did not want them viewing the end of everything. He could hear them shouting in the background as he turned towards the door, axe and D3 in his hands, but he ignored them. He felt like now, it was too late... maybe he had given up his hope after all. But he had accepted what was to come, what might happen.

_TK... please don't die._

Kari's words once again rang through his head, and a pang of guilt spread through him. He turned back towards the mirror, seeing everyone watching, and Kari's face trying not to believe what TK was doing, or what he was saying. He opened his mouth to say something –

A gurgled roar. The darkness entered the room.

They had truly arrived.

Abandoning all sense of self-preservation, TK launched himself at the first of the dark creatures as they flooded in. He sliced with his axe at the closest one, and it reared back, moaning. He paid it no attention, moving to the next one that came near and hitting it as well with the axe.

As another creature came close, he held his D3 up and willed his energy into it. The power he had within acted through the device, coming out as a giant flash of light that incinerated the dark beings that he had wounded earlier. The other ones cowered in the presence of the light, giving TK a chance to run up and smite them into nothingness.

It shocked him somewhat, as he realized how quickly they disintegrated into data. He felt much more confident and powerful than before, now that he had thrown away his fear and had accepted the possibility of death. All that was in his mind was the fact that he was not going to be defeated without a good fight.

Despite his best efforts at holding the creatures back, they still had an advantage over him. Focusing his power again, he aimed for the large crowd, aware that there was now movement behind him. Somehow, dark beings had managed to get behind him. As the light flashed, he spun around to slice at the creatures that had surrounded him.

He paused for a moment when he saw that the mirror had gone dark yet again. Its power had worn off... and now the connection was lost. Before he could contemplate it more though, he found himself once again fighting as creatures leaped at him.

One managed to latch itself around his neck, clinging to his body. TK yelped as he felt the cold hands gripping him, and instantly focused the energy within himself. He felt warmth, and his entire being flashed. The creature disintegrated.

Slash, hit, aim, focus... it became tedious and tiring. The dark creatures still seemed to be trying to come closer to him, and not trying to hurt him directly. Still, he could feel negative energy being aimed towards him, and the darkness that was spread through the room. It was beginning to affect him; the fatigue from earlier was coming back, and he was finding it harder to lift the axe. He realized it would not be long before he would be forced to stop... and who knew what would happen then.

Then a huge evil presence filled the room.

"You Spawn are pathetic. You cannot take down a human? A digidestined is nothing without a partner. Let me."

Something like daggers of ice sliced through TK's arms. He cried out in pain, as he was forced to drop both things that were in his hands. However, he could not jump down to pick them back up; he could no longer feel his fingers, and his arms would not move when he tried.

He looked down and saw, to his surprise, that there was no blood on his arms. So what had happened...?

A cold mass latched around his chest, squeezing tight. Another around his legs... another jumping to grip his arms. One jumped onto his back, wrapping itself around his neck. He screamed as things gradually forced him to the floor, rendering him immobile and helpless. They continued to push, pinning him down so all he could do was struggle in vain.

TK felt constricted, as he lay locked to the floor by the bodies of numerous dark creatures. He had never felt so unable to do anything in his life, held at the mercy of whatever dark being it was that had come into the room and taken control. Whatever happened now, he could no longer predict. Was this truly the end, or was there something more?

He could not see the thing that had come, but he could feel the evil emanating from it. He could hear a low chuckle that echoed and chilled him to the bones, and yet it seemed familiar. But he could not place it.

"Remarkable, Child of Hope. You have my regards for being rather difficult to capture – enough that the Spawn even asked for their master's assistance. You are, in every aspect, worthy of the undertaking you will go through.

"Forgive my insistence, but as it will be rather difficult to transport you conscious, judging from your spectacular performance in evading the Spawn..."

Another voice rang out.

"TK!"

TK recognized it immediately and paled, more so than before. He suddenly realized that if what the group had said before was true, and if darkness from the Dark Ocean was spreading into the Digiworld, then...

He tried to call out. "No! Kari, get away now! Break off the connection!"

She had to get away before this evil being recognized her... because it would. All dark beings could recognize her aura. If it realized this girl through the mirror was her, then she would be in even more danger than he himself was. If there was ever a reason to change his mind, to not give up and die, to instead survive, it was for this. The darkness could not get to her.

He had no idea what she was thinking, because he could not see the mirror from where he was. All around him was the mass of the Spawn holding him down.

But it seemed that she had not moved. TK felt a shadow moving towards the mirror, and a light female gasp from its direction. "Kari! Go! Don't let him see you!"

"Your aura..."

It was too late.

The chuckle again. "Well, then, Child of Light. I suppose you will meet me soon – my ally will be especially happy to see you."

The strong negative energy was back, gathering towards a single source. Then it exploded, and at the same time, something shattered into pieces. The mirror was broken, and the connection forever lost.

"I can easily guess the plan now... this is certainly to our advantage. The girl is an excellent addition... I had no idea she might play a large role.

"But... Child of Hope, you have heard enough for now. For now, sleep. Embrace the darkness."

"No - " TK called out in vain, struggling futilely as a dark cloud surrounded his vision and everything about him. Constricted, bound, immobile, without sight or sound and only the overwhelming sense of darkness, he screamed.

And felt his consciousness fall into nothing.


	11. Approach

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. The ideas in this story all belong to me, however, and I've never read HP Lovecraft. I really should, since I'm writing this entire thing.

A/N: It's been a while, but I finally got this chapter done. It's also been one crazy semester. Since the last update and now, I've dealt with classes, a broken foot, surgery, three months on crutches, physical therapy, the death of my computer... kind of stressful. Also a bit hard to write. But on good notes, my writing streak came back, and I've gotten this chapter done. We're getting closer to the climax... I'm also getting the screws out of my foot soon.

I'm working hard on this story. It's my goal to finish it by the end of the summer before I go back to school, so hopefully it'll all work out. I also have ideas for a sequel... which I may or may not write.

Someone asked me about this, so I think I'll clarify - this story takes place after the end of Digimon 02, but before Diaboromon's Revenge (or whatever the 4th movie is called in English...). And I go by the Japanese timeline, kind of, so it was three years between Digimon 01 and 02.

And yes, I loved Harry Potter 7.

* * *

_**  
Approach**_

Was there still time?

Riding atop Nefertimon in the cold night air, Kari narrowed her eyes, feeling even more resolve for what had to be done. Many feelings ran through her as she asked that question over and over... sadness, anxiety, guilt, grief, fear... anger. She no longer cared any more about that last fact; she felt that her anger was perfectly justified.

And that fear? The moment she had seen TK pinned beneath the mass of dark bodies, her emotions had escalated into a cyclone of panic and horror. She had been unable to move, knowing that she could only help her friend by removing her presence from him, but she could not let him suffer, and had subjected herself to watching helplessly.

But when TK had told her to run, and that great being had approached her from the other side of the mirror, something else had sprung up in her. Whoever that figure had been, he had filled her with terror and loathing, as he seemed to radiate the darkness from him...

And he felt familiar.

She clenched her fists, trying to make sense of everything. Someone from the Dark Ocean that she had seen or met before was the one who had taken TK away. Whoever this being was had been summoning him from their normal realm, trying to pull him into the world of darkness, until TK had finally given in, hoping to solve the mystery behind everything.

It had apparently been part of that being's plan.

Kari only hoped that there was no one else besides that being in charge of everything.

A brief burst of cold feeling washed over her from the air. Perhaps it had only been the wind, or the chill of the night sky, but she knew better. She remembered the words Gennai had said regarding the connection between worlds at the moment... darkness flooding out of the portals into the Digiworld, spreading out... and as she only knew too well, acting as a force on its own.

Patamon began shivering in her arms. Kari held the little digimon close, knowing that regardless, she was not a replacement for TK. Even so, she tried to comfort him in whatever way she could. There was no question in her mind that Patamon was quite possibly the most affected by TK's capture. He had known about the darkness plaguing TK the longest, had been helpless to stop it, and had been forced to watch his own partner captured and swallowed by it.

And inwardly, she felt pained to think about what Matt or Cody were going through as well. Everyone, really. TK had, after all, been the one everyone had taken care of and protected during their first journey, and then he had become a store of experience and knowledge when everything came up again three years later. And his crest, by itself, exemplified that which was in his being – hope.

She did not know how much time was left. In her heart, she knew that TK was still alive. But that feeling of dread continued to linger.

"Everything will be all right," Nefertimon said comfortingly from below, as though sensing the turmoil of feelings within her partner. "We'll save TK, and the world will return to their normal state of balance."

Kari nodded as the cold wind brushed past her. "Yeah," she answered, not quite believing herself but attempting to.

Nefertimon picked it up easily. "Don't lose hope. We still have a chance."

Hope.

If TK were there, if it were another person in his position, he would give words of optimism, exhibiting that determination and readiness that defined him and his character. If only he truly were there with everyone, safe from the darkness and those after him.

Kari briefly glanced over to Stingmon, who carried Ken, Mimi, and Palmon. She bit her lip as she thought of how the group had decided to set things. All the Digidestined had divided into three groups – two would attempt at the access points, while the last scouted out at the tower for a worst case scenario. She only hoped that they did not have to resort to that, but her intuition told her that they might have to.

Her group had been heading to the farthest of the two access points, and she knew that the other one must have already reached theirs earlier. Judging from the coordinates given to her by Izzy, they were very close to their destination.

"Why... couldn't we have left earlier?" Mimi suddenly asked, barely heard over the wind.

Kari looked sharply at her, surprised but understanding. She had asked herself the same question, wondering if perhaps they might have been able to reach the Dark Ocean already. In this case, TK would already be safe and with them, not in the hands of the denizens of the Dark Ocean...

"I know that we had to rest," Mimi continued. "And I know how important that is. But this is an emergency, and we should have done our best to go as soon as possible. Then we could have rescued TK and he wouldn't have been captured."

Kari was almost surprised by how similar Mimi's thoughts were to her own.

She looked over at Mimi's worried and grieving face, and realized that both she and Palmon were almost glaring at Ken pointedly. Another glance at Patamon told her that the small digimon was doing the same.

Then she remembered... it had been Ken who suggested resting for the night before attacking any of the portals, or even the tower, to gain access to the Dark Ocean.

"Ken?" Palmon spoke up. "Why _did_ you say we should rest for the night?"

He stayed silent for a few moments, with only the sounds of Stingmon's buzzing wings and rushing wind emphasizing his lack of speaking. He looked sorrowful, and he closed his eyes briefly as though thinking about everything that had happened. But his face was without guilt.

Then, Ken finally answered somberly.

"TK would have been captured even if we had left immediately after contacting him."

Everyone stared at him throughout his pause, but once he recovered himself, he continued.

"The Dark Ocean is the stronghold of some of the most powerful of those who are evil. Suppose we had gone straight to try and enter there after contacting TK. We would have gone through what we're doing now, and maybe if we were lucky, the access portals would work and we could go in. But then we would be a loud force that would attract the attention of just about every being in that realm, particularly if we end up at the source of that darkness. I don't think those in the Dark Ocean would be very happy with us. Not to mention that without rest, we would be at a disadvantage in the case of a battle.

"If the access portals didn't work, which is very probable, then we would have to use the tower. By the time we got to the doorway, we would be tired, very beaten, and likely about to collapse from exhaustion and sleep deprivation. Then imagine us going into the Dark Ocean. That's suicide. Obviously, that does not bode well for TK either.

"The best circumstance would be if the access portals worked. But we don't know for certain if they do, and Gennai's emails didn't seem very hopeful. And involving my own knowledge of the Dark Ocean... I have a bad feeling about what might happen if we entered without being fully alert. Besides, remember that we had been running about earlier in the day. We needed the rest.

"I thought out all the other options fairly thoroughly, using what experience with the Dark Ocean I have... and with every strategic move I could think of, they all ended in the same place... TK's capture, and us with a slim chance of rescuing him and surviving. Our resting simply helped our chances, even if it was only a few hours."

Ken looked away then, moving his head to not face the others.

Kari understood that it was hard for him as well. He knew the sorts of horrors awaiting in the Dark Ocean, and at the same time he had to think rationally for the sake of everyone, as though from an objective point of view. He, like everyone else, wanted TK out of the Dark Ocean and safe. And knowing what lurked in that realm...

Something beeped.

The three humans automatically retrieved their D-terminals, to answer the email that had apparently been sent to all three of them. Kari quietly held it front where Patamon could also see it, flipped up the screen, and scrolled to see the new message that had come from Joe.

In a perfectly Joe-like style in an emergency, as he had matured, it was terse and to the point.

**Joe here, about our access point. Failed to get through. Heading to the tower. D-terminals didn't work until now. Ken's team, good luck.**

Slowly, the three humans brought their heads up and made eye contact with each other, the meaning of the message dawning on them.

After a few moments of silence, Stingmon chose to ask. "So what happened?"

"Joe's team couldn't get through," both Ken and Kari answered in blank unison.

Stingmon turned his head forward again, once again focusing on the destination at hand. "Then... it's up to us."

Kari chose to quickly look ahead, trying to see if there were any visible signs of the darkness coming from the portal. Nothing. Only the tops of the leafy trees and other distant mountains were in sight.

Her determination further pushed by the fact that Joe's team had failed, she pulled out her D3 and tried to see if it would pinpoint the location more clearly. She knew that Ken and Stingmon apparently knew the area fairly well, which was why the two of them were on their team and they were leading the way, but she still wanted some sort of proof that they were coming closer to their destination.

At the faint glow of the map on the screen, she at least felt slightly reassured that they were in the right area.

"Hey Ken," Palmon spoke up, having been fairly quiet and seeming somewhat nervous. "How do we know when we're just about there? I mean, it's still night, how would we be able to tell?"

The boy stayed silent. The other pairs did as well. Kari knew far too well how to tell.

"You'll know," Ken answered. "You'll feel it."

Then Kari felt a cold drip wash over her, as though she was being bathed in softly trickling water. She shuddered involuntarily, shaking as the feeling only became stronger. She quickly pulled Patamon a little closer, hoping she did not smother him, and held onto Nefertimon tighter. It was more for a sense of personal security than anything else, but that little bit of comfort was all that would keep her sane for the time being.

"I take it we're here then?" Palmon asked wryly.

The others had felt it too.

Stingmon raised a pincered hand up and motioned that he was heading downwards. Nefertimon took note, and followed as Stingmon dove into the sea of green. Together, the two dodged trees and whizzed past branches, scattering leaves in their wake as they approached what they knew to be the access point.

Physically, it was not difficult to continue going towards it. With the darkness looming and the feeling of something otherworldly growing stronger, all they had to do was continue following it. The more powerful it felt, the more they knew they would soon be at their destination.

Mentally though, it filled them with apprehension and gave them the urge to turn around and flee. It was almost as though that darkness had a will of its own, and it wanted them to leave, to hide from that which invaded their world. It acted like an extra power that surged through the area with only one purpose – to terrorize those nearby and claim the land for its own.

However, the Digidestined were not chosen for their weakness of heart.

Kari simply grit her teeth and willed Nefertimon to continue flying towards the target. She would not be weak. She would not let anyone down. She could not let anyone down.

She would save TK.

The tainted feeling that seeped through area suddenly exploded in strength. Kari knew exactly what that meant. So did the others, especially Ken.

"That's it," he pointed.

The warp was like a hole in space, stretching from the ground to the foliage of the trees. The darkness that swirled out of it had destroyed all life within immediate distance, leaving the warp in the center of a large, circular clearing filled with graying matter that had once been lush greenery. Even everything on the edges of the clearing had a slightly faded tinge, as though cringing away from a source of poison but being unable to stop its influence.

Silently, the small group floated down to the ground, landing gently upon the brittle, fallen wood that littered it. In somber reverence, the Digidestined dismounted and stared up at the warp. They had certainly reached their destination, impossible as it was to miss.

Mimi knelt down and held Palmon close as she looked around sadly. "This is all from the warp?"

Ken nodded silently, looking as though he was choking back some sort of emotion. Then he motioned to Stingmon, who immediately reverted back to Wormmon.

The small digimon looked worn and scared as he looked up at the warp. "Something about this just feels so... sinister. Or evil."

"It's being caused by the Dark Ocean," Ken answered gently, quickly picking up Wormmon. "It would feel that way."

"But didn't these warps only appear when...TK was taken into the Dark Ocean? For all this to happen since then..."

Still in her arms, Patamon was beginning to shiver slightly. To Kari's surprise, Nefertimon gently came forward and wrapped her wings around both of them. "We're Light, remember? We are both most vulnerable, yet also the most resistant," the larger formed digimon said, speaking to comfort the two within her reach. "Hope is still connected to us... which is likely why TK was so affected..."

"I can't feel him any more!" Patamon suddenly burst out, struggling in Kari's arms. Completely shocked, she released him, and the small flying digimon shot straight for the warp.

Kari's eyes widened when she realized what he was doing. "Wait, Patamon!"

Some of the darkness flowing from the warp began circling in turmoil, transforming into a cyclone. Within moments, it had wrapped Patamon in its depths, ripping him from the air and pushing him into a world without control.

"Cat's-Eye Beam!"

Nefertimon had already leaped back into the air, attacking the darkness that had become a physical being. Her powerful wings took her straight for the cyclone, and she dove in without hesitation.

Kari gaped in horror. Patamon had flown into it, only to be swallowed. And Nefertimon had just flown in as well. Glancing at the graying area of damage around her, fear gripped at her as she realized just what the darkness was capable of. If it could cause all life in that area to wither away, then what would it do to them?

"Nefertimon!" she called urgently, staring at the spot where the digimon had entered and praying with all her heart that both digimon would escape unharmed. When only the roiling depths of the dark cyclone answered her, she gritted her teeth, trying to keep hoping.

Then Nefertimon burst out, a small figure atop her back.

Relief flooded through Kari. She ran forward to greet the two digimon, to make sure both had come unscathed from their quick encounter. Unsurprisingly, she caught from the corner of her eye the sight of Ken and Mimi, with their partners in tow, hurrying towards them as well.

Her own partner landed gently upon the ground again, now looking a bit more worn than earlier. Kari quickly embraced the digimon. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," came the answer, "But... I think I need to rest."

Nodding in reply, Kari carefully reached up and retrieved the small, limp bundle that Nefertimon had dove into darkness to save. Nefertimon only spared her one look of thanks, before disappearing in a flash of light.

Patamon moved weakly in Kari's arms, his large blue eyes staring up at the warp. The cyclone had dispersed, leaving only the mist that continued to seep into the area.

Then he closed his eyes and began crying.

The rest of the group, a now reverted Gatomon included, crowded around Kari. She cradled the small digimon, hugging him close and knowing all she could do at this point was comfort and listen.

"I could always tell he was at least alive," Patamon sobbed out, rambling. "Ever since he was first taken by the Dark Ocean, just knowing that kept me going, you know? We could save him. I wanted to digivolve so badly, every time I felt him in danger, but he was in another world and I couldn't get to him! I'm supposed to be there to help him and protect him, I've always done that since he was little whenever we were together, but now I can't! And when all this started, when he started having those dreams, and I'd have to wake him up to stop him from giving in, and now it's all out of control, and I'm not there to help him! And now I can't even sense him! It's like everything there from him is just gone, or cut off, or something, and I don't know what's happened to him! I – I don't want to think what I think has happened!"

As he continued crying, Kari sat still as his words sunk into her. She knew there was some sort of energy bond between digimon and human partners, which had to exist else the digimon would be unable to digivolve the way they did, and that it never broke. Unless...

"No..." she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. It could not be true... but it was the only reason why Patamon would react like this, and why that bond would be broken.

"He can't be..." she heard Mimi murmur behind her. Kari briefly turned to face the others; Mimi and Palmon looked shocked and horrified, Gatomon had frozen, and both Ken and Wormmon had paled drastically.

Kari did not want to believe it. She refused. But if even Patamon, who was partnered to the Child of Hope, had just started down a path to despair, what other hope was there? She would not give up yet.

She stood abruptly. Then she turned to Gatomon, and gently laid Patamon down before her. "Take care of him, okay?" she requested.

Gatomon looked at her quizzically, but Kari wasted no more time. She spun on her heels and sprinted for the warp.

She heard the others yelling for her to stop, that she was being suicidal, but she did not care. TK was quite possibly dead, and she would not sit by and stare at an open warp that might be the only chance they had to enter the Dark Ocean where he was. She had to believe he was still alive.

The darkness began forming its cyclone again, and it created clouds and curling tendrils as she neared the warp. Kari only continued, eyes narrowed, determined to make it through.

Then the darkness dove for her.

Without even thinking, she waved her hands in a swift cutting motion. The nearing threat split apart, breaking into a windy turmoil of black around her. But it was still present, and it tried to attack again with more vigor.

Everything happened instinctually. She would continue motioning her hands, feeling as though she was controlling some force that each time, pushed the darkness in whatever direction she made it go. Her progress was slowing now, the darkness thicker and heavier and now coming from all sides.

She pushed both hands out to the sides, vaguely realizing that a strange energy was flowing through her. As she did so, a bright flash of light surrounded her and expanded, hitting the black substantial fog around her. For a brief moment, the darkness moved away with the light, creating a large dome over her. Then it seemed to recollect itself.

Then the dome collapsed.

It felt as though the sea had come down upon her. She could not breathe, or barely move; she motioned her hands again, but it took effort as she tried to cut through the thick cloud.

She realized, for the first time, that her hands were glowing. And each time she forced the darkness away, some sort of shield of light would form and push against it.

But it was growing harder. The darkness had strengthened in power, and now it smothered her in its depths. It was like walking in water, but she was rooted to the ground and the pressure of her surroundings was pressing down upon her like the weight of the ocean.

She tried desperately to continue forward, and suddenly discovered that her legs were no longer moving. She struggled, but she felt held in place, trapped where she was. And with the darkness coming down on her, she found herself forced to her knees. The glow was dimming, she was losing strength, and everything was cold...

Amidst the darkness, her vision suddenly burst into a full glow. Like a shield, the light wrapped around her body, filling her with warmth and feeling again, keeping her safe and protected. She took comfort in it, knowing that it was a small sanctuary. But even still, in her heart, she could tell it was there only to save her from the current onslaught, not to help her continue towards the warp.

She still tried.

_Kari?_

Her mind briefly roiled in shock. _TK?_

His voice sounded distant and very weak, but it was there.

Without even trying, she answered in kind.

_TK, are you there, where are you, are you all right?!_

_I... I don't know... where... what's going on... is this dying... or waking?_

Kari tried in vain to push herself forward.

_TK, if that's you, don't give up, we're coming – _

_I know. I'm sorry._

The darkness was too much. The light shield surrounding her quivered slightly, as though beginning to break against the pressure of its opposing force. Kari tried to will the light to strengthen, and to cut away the darkness. She could feel the warp now, the energy from it waving past and blurring her feelings of reality. Only just a little bit further...

The energy within her stopped.

The light shield vanished.

Kari was left helpless and vulnerable to the full force of the darkness from the warp.

It was pain and suffocation like she had never felt before. Without the protection of the light about her, the world around her pressed down as though it had the intention of crushing her for attempting to enter the warp.

Before it could though, she felt someone grasp her hand.

She was pulled towards something, which held her tightly as though afraid to lose her. Then the world moved again, but this time it pushed her with great force in another direction. Almost as though she and whatever was holding her had ricocheted off of a metallic wall, she felt herself being shot away through the cold darkness.

Then suddenly, it was very warm.

She could vaguely feel hands lowering her to the ground, something being placed over her body, someone was cradling her head gently, and there were voices. It took a few moments for her to regain her thoughts enough to realize that someone was talking to her.

"Kari! Kari! Come on, answer me, please! Say something! Please be all right!"

Kari realized that her eyes had closed. It took great effort to open them, as everything felt very heavy.

The light nearly blinded her, but she could make out faces. Then, with a jolt, everything focused and became clear.

She shot up, nearly whacking her head on Mimi's and Ken's as she did so. "No!" she cried out, staring at the warp. It still stood plainly in the center of the clearing, with the darkness spreading out of it into the area. But only moments before, she had been right next to that warp...

Then both Mimi and Ken pushed her back down. "Lie down, you're going to hurt yourself more," Mimi begged. "You have no idea how relieved we are that you're alive."

Kari let herself down again, as her body felt too weak, and ached and protested too much for her to struggle. She saw that Palmon, Gatomon, and Patamon had gathered around her as well. She smiled slightly to see that Patamon looked recovered, but frowned slightly when she saw Stingmon standing tall a short distance away.

He looked slightly grey.

Blinking (as she was able to again), she glanced at Ken. He too looked slightly grey, breathing hard and with blue-tinged lips.

Realizing how difficult it was for her to move, she looked up at Ken with questioning eyes. "You're grayish," she said before she could stop herself.

He smiled a bit. "Not as badly as you. You look as though we just dug you out of an iceberg."

She let her eyes roll upwards. "Oh, so is that what happened?" she asked faintly. "I must have made a dazzling popsicle."

She could almost sense the others glancing at each other worriedly. "I'm half kidding," she answered before they could inquire as to her mental health. "What really happened? After..."

Kari very clearly remembered everything that had happened up until her light shield had gone out. Afterwards though, she had no idea.

Palmon scratched her head. "Well, after you charged in, Ken and Stingmon went in after you and brought you back out like this. And you wouldn't do anything for a few minutes, and we were so afraid for you. And then you woke up."

Kari gave Ken a quizzical look. It explained why he was looking grey at least, but...

"Ken... are you and Stingmon all right? You went in there after me, and it's not exactly... a friendly place to be," she asked, concerned.

To her surprise, Ken suddenly smiled. "We're fine, for the most part," he answered. Now that she looked closer, Kari realized that Ken's color was beginning to return, as was Stingmon's behind him. However, she still did not have the strength to lift her hand and see if she was still grey or not.

"You left a trail."

Her eyes shot back to Ken's, confused. "I – what? A trail?"

Ken still smiled. "Gatomon was right, earlier. Light is both the most vulnerable, but most resistant to the darkness. You left a residue of light throughout that darkness, which Stingmon and I followed. Not to mention..."

The smile left his face for a moment, and sighing, he gently tapped the back of his neck. Kari understood immediately, and nodded in reply.

"Anyway," he continued, "That light residue created something like a protective tunnel in. It was starting to fade when we found you though."

"But that's why you were mostly all right going in there?"

"I'm fairly sure."

"... I'm sorry I couldn't get any further."

Gatomon stared briefly before throwing herself onto her partner.

"Kari..." she whispered, "Don't say sorry. You're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Then, without a word to anyone else, Mimi suddenly stood and motioned to Palmon. The plant-like digimon blinked confusedly for a moment, but followed her partner. When Palmon reached her, Mimi kneeled down and whispered to her. Though Palmon's eyes widened, she nodded, as though she had come to an agreement, and Mimi took that moment to retrieve her digivice.

Mimi finally turned as everyone else gazed at her with bemused looks. "We'll be right back. We're just going to check something."

There was a bright light.

"Palmon digivolve to... Togemon!"

And before anyone could stop them, Togemon picked up Mimi and strode into the darkness before the warp.

Ken sprang to his feet. Kari would have, had she been able to, so she made do with managing to sit up. However, she felt that she knew exactly what Mimi and Togemon were doing, and decided to trust them.

She gently grasped one of Ken's ankles before the boy could launch himself back into the darkness. "They said they'd be right back," she said, letting go as Ken turned to her with fear in his eyes.

He clenched a fist. "All right. If you believe so..."

However, Ken's fears were allayed moments later, when Togemon and Mimi returned from out of the opaque blackness.

Silently, Togemon let Mimi back down to the ground. Mimi in turn wandered back, looking disappointed with only the slightest tinge of grey in her pink hair.

"The trail's gone," she reported, sounding a bit sad. "You could tell was something there, but that's it."

Kari stared dejectedly at her feet. "So we can't use that?"

"Unless you feel like trying your stunt again," Gatomon mumbled beside her.

Ken shook his head before Kari could make her statement. "Kari, you're still grey, you've been weakened by what happened, and we shouldn't risk it. You could have died in there." Then he looked at her wryly. "And I don't think anyone would be very happy if that happened. I mean, if we found TK and told him what happened, or Tai... Tai would just combust."

Kari snorted. Somehow, the idea that Ken was attempting to lighten the mood a little bit and the thought of Tai transforming into a flaming... thing just felt a bit morbidly humorous.

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments, unsure of what to say or do, knowing that going through the warp would require more strength and power than any of them had currently. Kari briefly remembered what had spurred her to run into the darkness, and she gently looked over to Patamon. The small digimon was staring at the warp, looking forlorn and depressed. It was a drastic change from his normally innocent and cheery self.

And Kari remembered TK, the way he had always been the same way for years, even through his more recent maturity. In times of peace, those casual gatherings, she saw him, his personality, the way he once blushed when Davis suggested strip poker to the entire group, his smile, his voice –

She had forgotten to tell the others.

"He's alive," she breathed.

The others stared at her in disbelief.

Stingmon, no longer grey but still not reverted, cocked his head to the side. "But the bond with Patamon... it's impossible - "

"I'm not lying, I just know he is," she continued, looking at them with a fierce gaze. "I got close to the warp. I... I heard him. I talked with him. I told him we were coming to save him. He... he said he was sorry..."

It was another thing that he was. Particularly recently. He had not wanted to burden the others with his problems involving the Dark Ocean, afraid they would become targeted, or hurt, or worse. And he had started acting as a guardian, she knew that too, after he had spent much of the group's first adventure being protected and looked after, and then being given more responsibility as the stakes grew higher.

But it was true. Even guardians did need saving.

"I believe you."

Gatomon was looking up at her, and then glaring at the others as though daring them to think otherwise.

"You've always been able to tell things like this. And with all of this stuff involving the darkness and light, you would know, wouldn't you?" she continued.

Kari nodded. "It's strange... there are things that I just know, or have feelings about... all of these keep getting stronger. Everything that happened while I was trying to get to the warp, it was like... some kind of energy. I had this shield of light up earlier, and I don't know how that happened, but that's what let me get closer to the warp. I heard TK right before the shield came down."

"Pardon me asking, but..." Mimi began, looking at Kari sternly. "How did you make that shield then?"

"And you made it so close to the warp..." Ken continued the thought. He too seemed curious and worried at the same time.

Kari closed her eyes. "It was like... this energy inside me, but I inside I felt more peaceful and focused than I have in a long time. The darkness made it harder for me to keep everything going, but it seemed to draw everything out too..."

Absently, she opened her eyes again and glanced down at herself, holding up her right hand and looking at it. Faintly, she could feel a surge of power still coming through her, and if she tried, she could focus it...

Her hand glowed pink again.

She widened her eyes in surprise, and stared.

The others stared too, though Gatomon looked surprisingly thoughtful.

Then suddenly, she remembered something. Watching TK through the mirror, as he fought with all his might against those dark creatures, she had felt something different. Even if she had not been directly beside him, she could tell that there had been some sort of aura of power about him, beginning to increase.

But all of that darkness had been too much for his small hope, and so that bit of light had been smothered and captured...

"Kari, it's stronger now, isn't it?"

She turned and looked at her partner, who was looking at her with both awe and nostalgia on her cat-like face.

"Yeah..." she answered softly, raising her hand up and staring at it.

Ken looked thoughtfully, though the others still seemed surprised by the Kari's display of power. Mimi glanced over at Gatomon. "What do you mean by 'it's stronger now'?"

"It was when we were fighting the Dark Masters. We were up against Machinedramon, in the sewers..." Gatomon trailed off.

Patamon picked up, recognition of that moment in his eyes. "Yeah, I remember now. Kari started glowing and doing all this stuff... You weren't there when it happened, but now that I think about it, it was kind of... well, amazing."

"Was there anything specific about your personal wellbeing at the time?"

Stingmon had spoken, seemingly just as curious and thoughtful as his partner.

Kari blinked, realizing that Stingmon had spoken to her.

"Um..." she looked at both Gatomon and Patamon for support, as both had been present during that time nearly four years earlier. Then she sighed. "I was very, very sick."

"Hmm." Ken looked distant, his gaze staring past everyone and unfocused. Then he turned slightly address everyone, his thoughts locked away for the moment. "I'm sorry to break everything up, but if we're not trying the warp again, we should start heading towards the tower. That is," he glanced at Kari, "if you feel up to it? Most of your color's back now."

Kari replied by pulling out her D-terminal and D3. Gatomon reacted by digivolving.

"Gatomon armor digivolve to... Nefertimon!"

Gathering strength back into her legs, Kari forced herself into a standing position. Placing a hand on Nefertimon's shoulder for balance, she nodded with a determined look on her face. She was still uneasy on her feet, but she refused to belay that weakness to the others. There was something else they had to worry about... and they could talk and explain things on the way.

The others looked slightly surprised at Kari's insistence, but after a few worried glances in her direction, Ken began making his way towards Stingmon. Mimi waited for a few moments as Togemon reverted back to Palmon before following him with her partner. It seemed that everyone was eager to leave the warp behind, it in the center of its grey clearing as the darkness streamed out and sucked away the life of everything nearby.

Kari quietly picked up Patamon, who despite his seeming ease with the situation not long before, was still shaking a bit. She gave him a gentle, comforting squeeze, then reached up behind Nefertimon's wing and mounted.

Then she heard a small whisper.

"So he's really all right? You're sure?"

She smiled. "Yeah. He..."

Kari suddenly realized that she was unsure of how to phrase exactly what she had heard TK say to Patamon. The majority of it was not exactly reassuring.

But this was Patamon, TK's partner.

"He sounded... confused, like he had no idea what was going on. And really far away. But he knew it was me. I don't know what happened to the bond, but... I'm sure things will be fine when we get to him," she answered, as honestly as she could without upsetting Patamon. She did not want to tell the rest, like how he had sounded weak and tired... it had been the fact that he was alive that brought back her hopes.

Patamon gave a little nod, smiling in thanks.

She hoped that things would still be all right.

She took a glance at everyone else. Mimi had taken out her D-terminal, preparing to start messaging the rest of the Digidestined to let them know what had transpired. Ken still looked a bit uneasy, casting looks at the warp and shuddering; Kari decided that maybe it was best that the group leave soon.

"Let's go," she muttered to Nefertimon. The digimon beneath her beat her powerful wings, rising off the ground and quickly soaring above the trees away from the warp.

The wind against her face was a welcome feeling after the stifled thickness of the darkness around the warp. Kari let the air rush around her, as some of the taint of the area behind her seemed to brush away, as though the wind were cleansing her. It was refreshing, almost.

The sight of greenery about her, though still darkened due to the time of the day, relieved her after the grey about the warp. To think of how withered and dead everything in that area had become after so short a time, just since TK had been drawn into the realm of the Dark Ocean, frightened her in that it was possible. Then again, nearly anything in the Digiworld was possible... for both sides.

An urgent call from behind alerted her to something off.

"My D-terminal isn't working!"

Kari blinked and turned sharply, seeing the others looking worried and Mimi staring at the screen of her D-terminal in disbelief. Automatically, she herself pulled out her D-terminal. If Nefertimon had been able armor digivolve, then her D-terminal should be able to work.

The moment she opened up the screen, she saw the screen warping with static as though trying to focus, almost like a television with bad signal. Wincing, she began working through the static, trying to make some sort of message and see if it would send... but then she noticed the connection it usually had that allowed it to contact the others.

Dejectedly, she shut the screen and turned again. "Mine isn't working either," she called back.

Ken had apparently been trying to work his as well. "Same here."

Kari clenched her fist, wondering why suddenly the D-terminals were not sending messages or working correctly. Nefertimon had been able to armor digivolve perfectly fine, and they had been able to receive Joe's message earlier...

Then the memories of Joe's message and something TK had told her a couple days earlier came back.

She almost wanted to laugh. It all made sense.

"I know why," she spoke, knowing she was drawing the attention of the others. "We went into the darkness around the warp. It's still cloaking us, it hasn't disappeared yet. That's why our D-terminals aren't working. That same type of darkness had been around TK too. And Joe said that the message was delayed because the D-terminals weren't working for them either."

"So this darkness is interfering with the workings of our D-terminals?" Ken asked. "And what about TK and D-terminals?"

To Kari's surprise, Patamon answered Ken's question. Then again, it did make sense; Patamon was TK's partner, after all. "He hasn't been using his lately, because it wasn't really working. He even left it at home... yesterday."

"Well, that's problematic. So I guess we'll have to wait before making our report..."

Silence reigned in the small team once again. Kari thought to herself, wondering what would soon become of everything. More and more, the circumstances were becoming more hopeless, as obstacles and things she was sure even Ken barely understood were standing in their path. She wanted to know why these things were happening, and found herself wishing that TK were still there, safe and with them, not trapped in another realm.

It reminded her that TK had eventually, partly because he was tired of resisting, and partly because he wanted to know why, let himself be taken into the Dark Ocean. He had planned to find out why the Dark Ocean was after him, after the others, and what it wanted, who was behind everything. He just wanted to end it on his own terms, and get some answers. It certainly had not gotten him very far. Now he had been captured, and only Kari was perfectly sure that he was still alive.

"Kari, do have the energy to try... uh, I guess, making your hands glow again?"

Kari sharply turned to look at Ken, surprised and jolted out of her thoughts. Then she blinked. "Oh... let me try..."

Focusing, she began drawing up the feelings of power she had from within. Suddenly, a little more easily than before, it bubbled up, until her hands were once again glowing faintly.

She looked back at Ken for approval. He only nodded, once again looking thoughtful.

"I think the darkness is doing more than interfering with our D-terminals," he quickly replied, when Mimi, Palmon, and Patamon all eyed him curiously. "It's forcing the best out of us at the same time. Particularly you, Kari, because you're the Child of Light, and you're adapting to match the powers of darkness."

Kari stared at him, then back to her hands, which were still glowing. With a sigh, she let the light around them fade. _It's all because I'm the Child of Light. Is that why they took TK? Because he's the Child of Hope? Or do these titles just make us more of targets? But this light... even I don't understand it._

"I guess so," she said.

Sometimes, she was unsure of her place among the Digidestined. She was always afraid that she would hold the others down, or be a disappointment to them, worried of what the future would bring in these times of danger. And with her own problems with the darkness, she did not want to worry the others, or have them involved, else something could happen to them –

She sounded just like TK.

And what she knew about this situation was that she cared about him. Everyone did. He was a friend, a teammate, a partner, a brother, a guardian... she knew that at least, she was willing to sacrifice everything to save him, at this point. Inwardly, she realized that were she in TK's position, it was this sentiment that would scare her the most, knowing what might happen to everyone in the process of trying to help. But she would be grateful.

_He said he was sorry. What does he have to be sorry for? It's not because he's the youngest and has to be looked for, or anything like that. It's because we care for him that we're willing to risk ourselves for him. He's done so much for us, and we won't lose anyone. _

_TK, don't worry, just hold on. We're coming._


	12. Revelation

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Or any of these characters... well, actually, I do own one character. And the background for this story. But that's not really quite as relevant, seeing as I'm kind of writing it...

A/N: Okay, so I lied... I definitely am not going to have this story done by the end of the summer. I'll aim for the end of the year. I think that's doable.

I'm going to really focus on this; I've actually started planning a sequel, so a lot of things in this particular chapter will come the most into play in that story (if I decide to really go forth and write it). Hopefully, my style of writing won't suffer.

I've been planning this chapter (and just about everything from here to the end) since the beginning, so the major events are all supposed to occur. This was the last sort of "Lots of talking, info giving" chapter until about the end... and I have to admit, it'll also be much harder for me to write from here to the end. The story is also now two thirds of the way done!

I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

_**  
Revelation**_

TK could have sworn that he had heard Kari's voice somewhere, as his mind rested somewhere in that world between sleep and awakening. More unconsciousness than sleep he realized, now that he was a little bit more aware, but at least he had some sense of self. It still felt like some huge part of him was missing though... it reminded him of Patamon had sacrificed himself against Devimon. He had felt this feeling briefly, right before Patamon had reverted back to a digiegg.

But he felt a little too restless and uncomfortable to be dying. Which meant he had to be awakening, out of the darkness... or maybe not.

His aching head spoke louder than anything else around him, but the hard floor he was lying on and sensation of coldness around his neck made him remember that he was still in his nightmare. All the thickness and feeling of the darkness had vanished from directly around him, but it was still present. However, it was not threatening... it simply existed, as it naturally should.

He groaned, rubbing his head and almost expecting to feel the fabric of his hat, or the gentle paws of Patamon grasping on, but then he remembered that he had given his hat to Kari, and Patamon was not there, and he was not in the Digiworld or the normal world, but...

Everything hit him at once, and he jumped in realization. With a sharp intake of breath, he opened his eyes and shot up.

Clank

He was in a small cell, surrounded in three walls of stone and a set of bars as the fourth. He could not quite see beyond the bars, due to the lack of lighting and his eyes not adjusted to the darkness, but of what he could see, there seemed to be some sort of bar door that only had a simple latch keeping it locked...

_So I have been captured... I have to get out of here._

Immediately, TK hopped to his feet. And felt the weight around his neck and heard the sound of chains clanking.

His hands flew to his throat, making contact with not the skin of his neck, but the metal of a cuff. Whipping his head around towards, he saw the outline of a thick chain firmly attached to the wall, leading up towards him.

The dull realization sunk into him, and he let himself slump down against the wall. Of course the bar door had a simple latch. Even if there had simply been open space instead of bars, he could not escape without some sort of picklock. Now, he was left to the mercy of his captors.

Ignoring the fact that he had been chained to the wall, he tried to survey the situation. In the last however many hours it had been since he had been drawn into the realm of the Dark Ocean, he had mostly been running for his life, doing his best to avoid and escape from those dark beings. Then there was that amount of time he had spent hiding in the abandoned apartment... and now, here he was in a dungeon.

Somehow, he did not think his chances of survival were any different than when he had been chased through the underground utility tunnels... but he felt that he had to wonder. He had thought he was going to die, but he had been captured instead. Why was that? Had there been a reason to keep him alive that he had not thought of yet?

It left him with nothing to do except maybe shout at whoever might be there in the dungeon and wait.

Then he remembered that everyone else was coming to help him.

In the space of a few moments, TK's heart leapt with relief and joy, then stopped again as he realized what might happen. However, true that the others would be in danger, especially not knowing what sort of other things were in the realm of the Dark Ocean, he knew they were his only choice at escaping and possibly making it back home.

Something rustled from beyond the bars. TK sat up and squinted, trying to see what it was. Despite his weariness, he felt a little paranoid after having been chased after by dark beings for most of his waking hours. And after having lived in the normal world with the shadows at the edge of his mind, he knew that being alert and watchful could mean a world of difference.

However, this thing also made a slight clanking noise, which he recognized. It was the same as the chain that bound him; perhaps it was another prisoner like himself.

"Hello?" he called out.

The moment he had sounded his voice, he recognized that the source of the noise included a dark presence. Unlike the maliciousness of those who had chased him... Spawn, were they called? This presence seemed benign.

But there was no answer. Instead, another presence, a different one, scampered closer, making scratching sounds against the stone floor.

TK received the impression that something sinister was peering in at him. He automatically pressed himself to the wall, instinctively trying to escape the gaze of whatever being it was that found him interesting.

Feeling desperate, he reached for his D3, only to discover that it was not there.

His eyes widened in shock. He suddenly remembered his last attempts at resistance, those moments before his capture back in the abandoned apartment. He had been forced to drop what he had been carrying... that hand axe, and his D3. And there was no reason as to why the Spawn would bring it with them to give it back.

The D3 had been his main kind of weapon against the darkness, and so without it he was somewhat powerless. It only made sense that he did not have it with him now.

Dejectedly, he slumped back against the wall. Curling himself with his arms around his knees, he distantly heard the movement of the creature looking in at him, as it crept back and forth against the bars. He quietly looked down at his shoes in response, willing the creature to leave.

He heard it slowly shuffle away. Apparently, it had lost interest... or perhaps, it would soon return. TK sighed in relief, then sat staring at the outline of his feet, which were starting to focus and become clearer as his eyes slowly adjusted.

Idly, he reached up for the metal cuff around his neck and felt it, trying to see if there was any possible way for it to come off. Letting his fingers pass over the smooth, cold surface, he could not help himself but wonder... how everyone else was, and how they were faring. As he touched a strange groove in the metal, he somehow thought of Kari, and his last sight of her.

Through the mirror, she had watched... until that powerful being had destroyed it. But not before it saw and recognized her for the power she held. TK tried to recall what the being had said... having been under so much stress, he found it slightly difficult to think of the exact words. But he did remember that the being had seemed pleased. It was not a reassuring fact.

Understanding that the groove in the metal was likely how the cuff came undone, TK left the collar alone to gaze around more. It only made him feel more helpless as he did so, knowing his situation and how little he could do... he tried instead to ignore his surroundings and think positively. It had done him well many times, but he had some doubts after everything he had been through so recently.

Closing his eyes, he attempted to think and believe that all things would come to a close and be all right. Nothing in the darkness could always last... dawn followed the night, after all. He knew what that dawn would be – when the others did manage to save him. They were his only hope at this point.

It was then that he realized how cold he was, as though there was a light chilled wind passing through the bars of his cell. He shivered slightly; the air felt moist as well, which gave the feeling of ice mist blowing on his face. He briefly wondered where exactly in the realm of the Dark Ocean he was... maybe beneath the sea itself?

There was a loud, echoing bang. Then he heard them. Footsteps. These were sharp and confident, the sounds of a victor coming to flaunt over the conquered. He wondered if this was a guard of some sort, or perhaps even someone else, then let his intuitive sense tell him what to believe. A strong influx of fear came into him almost automatically; this being would not be kind.

The footsteps grew louder, echoing down what seemed like empty stone halls. It made the building sound hollow, as though nothing existed at all except for the being walking... and TK in his cell.

Gradually, the sound came closer. TK took in a tense breath, hugging himself tighter with his head placed in his knees.

Then it stopped.

He was aware of someone large and formidable staring at him.

"So, the Child of Hope is finally here And awake. Quite an impressive fight you put up too."

TK opened his eyes and lifted his head sharply, ignoring the clank of the chain and glaring at the figure through the bars, trying to remember where he had heard the voice before. "What do you want?" he asked in low tones, but with as much venom and strength as he could muster.

The figure gave a deep laugh. "I was told you were a defiant one. I expected nothing less."

"Who are you?!"

"I am shocked that you do not remember me. I was overjoyed when I discovered that the target was someone I had met before, though relatively briefly, I must say."

The memory suddenly hit him. Only some months earlier, when fighting close to Christmas time, the group had banished a certain enemy into the dark world...

"Daemon," TK stated, his eyes suddenly widening.

"Aha, now you remember," the digimon laughed. Then his figure carefully undid the latch of the bar door and practically floated victoriously into the small cell.

Daemon was as TK remembered, only with the tint of grey that came with being in the Dark Ocean and a more than satisfied look in his eyes. Even his cloaked exterior did not hide demonic glee that seemed to emanate from him, and though TK had grown used to digimon appearances over many years, he somehow felt unsettled by the feeling of the regalia covering the true being within. The wings and horns did nothing to help.

_Daemon was behind this...?_

"So then, Child of Hope. Lord Dragomon and I give our pleasure. Welcome, welcome, to this humble abode in the dungeons," Daemon announced, almost mockingly as he gestured around the cell.

TK raised an eyebrow. "Sorry to say this, but I think this room needs some better interior decorating," he said conversationally. He gingerly picked up the chain and motioned towards it. "I mean seriously, who likes having this sort of thing in their kitchen? Not that this room would make a very good kitchen."

Daemon was not amused. "Cute, child, very cute. Have you been enjoying your stay then?"

TK dropped the chain. "Well, what do you think?" he glared, and his hand absentmindedly found its way up to the metal cuff around his neck.

The mocking tone turned to seriousness. "Why don't we drop these ridiculous formalities then?"

"Gladly."

Silence rang between them. Now that the initial contact was over, TK could feel the tension in the cell, as he sat face to face with the one who was most likely the perpetrator behind everything that had happened to him. The dreams, the darkness, the manhunt... he wanted answers. He wanted to know why, just why...

But he was not in a position to ask anything. The only thing he could really do was sit and hope that the worst Daemon planned for the moment was interrogation.

"I'm sure you are confused and frightened. But I have no intention of... easing your anxiety. It would not do you very well in the long term..." Daemon chuckled. "Rather, nothing would do you very well in the long term."

Daemon was hinting towards what TK expected, regarding his captivity. Nonetheless, he found himself shaking.

"Any particular reason for that?" he asked in a low voice, trying to sound as depressed and scared as possible. Maybe Daemon would be more appeased and would give some more answers... assuming TK would be able to see the others again. Then curiosity got the better of him, as he recalled a statement by Daemon from only a moment earlier. "And... who's Lord Dragomon?"

"Why, the lord of this realm, the Dark Ocean," Daemon answered, who, to TK's surprise, seemed happy enough to reply to his question. "And as a reply to the other question... it will not take long for you to understand."

The digimon took a couple steps forward, stepping in an ironicly dainty manner in opposition with his appearance. TK wondered if the booming footsteps from earlier had been only an effort to increase the fear of those surrounding, but his thoughts shot back to the more immediate issue.

If anything, Daemon seemed comfortable and confident in his victory, and wanted to intimidate the boy before him.

"I have come to inform you of your role and your destiny. It would do you well to know... and then of course, when next we meet the Child of Light, we can tell her how bravely you walked to your fate."

TK raised an eyebrow. He was already suspicious. "When next you meet the Child of Light? You're planning to meet her?"

A chuckle. "Of course. She is the special addition to the original plan, after all. A most valuable opportune moment to finish everything and end everything."

His mouth grew dry. The dark ocean had targeted Kari before. And to finish and end everything with something involving her...

Suddenly, before he quite knew what he was doing, TK had shot to his feet, the mad idea of running forward, breaking the chain that kept him by the wall, and somehow wringing Daemon's neck coming to him. "Why bring her into this?! What is it that you want with her?!" he shouted, anger coursing through him.

Daemon looked taken slightly aback. "Goodness, how protective the Child of Hope is of the Child of Light. Indeed, Lord Dragomon truly meant it when he said you would have to be taken care of before going after the girl."

"Answer me!"

TK wanted to know. Kari had been taken by the Dark Ocean before, but these denizens of the darkness still wanted her. He had never been told why. Did Kari know? Did she want to know? What was it that those of the Dark Ocean really wanted?"

Daemon practically rolled his eyes.

"It is not I that wants the girl, though she would make a fine addition to the levels of power within this world. Lord Dragomon desires her."

TK yelped. "What?!"

What in the world...?

Daemon seemed to ignore him. "Personally, I do not see what he sees in her aside from her power of Light, but seeing as how he is the Lord of this dark realm, he would want a queen of light beside him. Perhaps he believes he can tame her. Then again, I never did think he would be the type to lust after human females..."

TK felt sickened. It was all a matter of power. And Kari was trapped as the target in the center of everything.

"No..." he shook his head, staring at Daemon in horror. "No! That's just... ugh, no!"

Daemon spared him a glance, and chuckled. "Well, it was worth telling you the truth to see your reaction. Maybe I should tell you everything else? Seeing as you will barely have the time to contemplate it all?"

TK still felt disgusted by the revelation of what these digimon planned for Kari. "You know what, I don't care," he glared and spat. "I have an idea of what's going to happen, but whatever does happen, you're not touching her."

"So says the Child of Hope, who has no control over the actions of his enemies. Is his hope strong enough to act upon what he says, I wonder?"

"What?"

"How amusing it is... hope. That which can fuel the fires of courage, pull allies together, and save the souls of the damned... but how pitiful it becomes when the damned carry hope, but it does not truly exist. When a dying man still has hope that his lord will come to save him from certain death... the captured live their lives believing that one day they will be freed when all they can do is stay enslaved until the end... the hope one has in unrequited love, how it can transform even the kindest person to one seeking vengeance against his rival... the hope people have for peace and safety, when war devours their world. Hope asks for miracles, for fate to twist into her hands and change in favor of her. And when fate and destiny turns against her, she can do nothing but provide something to comfort the pathetic masses, giving them the fake belief that the world can change."

TK felt his blood freeze each time Daemon said the word hope. It made him feel as though that which he exemplified, that trait of hope, was being defiled and twisted in ways he had never thought to realize. Unfortunately, he could see some of the logic in Daemon's words.

He glared. "So what is the point of telling me all the bad sides of my crest?"

Daemon's eyes glinted slightly. "Hope exists for more sides than just one. It is only a matter of tipping the scale in the right direction."

The digimon's words sounded ominous to TK. He dared to keep looking directly into Daemon's eyes, heart pounding as he attempted to think of exactly what Daemon was implying.

"Do you understand yet?"

TK clenched his fist and tried not to betray his fear. "No."

The evil digimon seemed to be smiling. "Let us speak of it in another way. You are the shield that protects the light. But, that light is our goal, is it not? So, that shield must be removed."

TK felt a chill creep up him as he realized what Daemon was saying. He grit his teeth, keeping his eyes level with the digimon's. "Then..." he began, trying to shoot down any fear that sprang up within him, "Why am I still alive? Why did you go through all that trouble to capture me?"

Daemon's eyes glinted.

"A shield for light can only be used for light. But if melted to its barest essentials, it can be forged anew for any side. Including the dark. And that makes it a very powerful tool for whomever wields it."

TK's eyes widened in horror as what Daemon had implied lit on him.

The digimon laughed. "You realize it, do you not? With you as our weapon, the greatest obstacle for us is nullified. The Child of Light will be in the possession of Lord Dragomon, the other Digidestined doomed to destruction, and the world of Light fated to belong to us."

"No!"

TK straightened, eyes cold and glaring as anger surged through him, directed at the digimon before him. "What makes you think I would work for you?! Because I never will! And there is no way you'll be able to control the other realm!"

To his shock, Daemon chuckled. "You remind me of Jigomon. He once said that of this realm. He was wrong." With that, the digimon made a small laugh. Beyond that, TK thought he heard a low growl from beyond the bars of the cell.

Then Daemon recovered himself. "Obviously, we know you would never willingly work with us. So we are not even attempting controlling you."

TK blinked. _Who's Jigomon? This realm? What are they doing with me?_

"No..." Daemon continued, "With only yourself, especially unwillingly, you hold much more essence and power that you realize. And if we harness it..." he smiled suggestively.

It was then that some of the Daemon's words dawned on TK.

_Melted to its barest essentials... forged anew..._

"You needed me alive," he stated, suddenly aware of his own mortality. "Because what you wanted was my life."

Daemon laughed. "Finally, you understand. So of course we could not kill you... yet."

"... yet?"

That word had been whispered, as more fear crept into TK's heart. He had half been expecting this, since he had been taken captive and not killed directly, but it still made the situation much more real to hear the truth from his captor.

The digimon in question was looking at him with both a sense of curiosity and malice. Daemon seemed to be calculating just how much should be said... or maybe he was deciding the best way to torment the boy before him.

However, the moment of silence soon passed.

"You shall be retrieved an hour before dawn," Daemon stated, pacing closer to TK. TK in turn backed himself as far as he could, until he had flattened himself against the wall. Daemon only continued forward. "For to work the ritual of power correctly, it must happen as the night ends and becomes the day. As Lord Dragomon controls the ocean, all shall go according to plan.

"Do not fear. Or maybe you should."

TK already knew what those words meant.

"You mean that by dawn, I'll be dead," he spat. "Don't try to cover it up using fancy words."

The digimon was silent for a moment. "I suppose it works better to blunt with such a defiant child as you. But you would do well to remember whose cell you are sitting in and who it is you speak to."

TK shut his mouth, almost afraid of the repercussions. He felt tempted to shoot back, to dare Daemon to kill him on the spot as he was already slated to die soon. He did not feel that there was much worse that the digimon could do to him, if it would all end in the exact same thing.

It felt strange being the defiant and reckless one, dealing with Daemon.

Then without warning, Daemon lifted a claw and gently stroked his cheek.

TK recoiled, but the digimon had already begun speaking in low, hungry tones, as though to himself. "Such a strong, worthy soul... powerful blood, a true living embodiment of every flavor and emotion that hope holds. So much of the light, though I wonder what would happen should the darkness become dominant... so very different you would be. How simple it would be to twist the essence of that you hold dear for different purposes. But oh, the power you hold within you... and soon, it shall be ours..."

And Daemon retreated from , turning swiftly with a flourish of the cloak he wore.

TK watched, shivering, as Daemon practically floated in a ghost-like manner towards the bar door. His eyes had adjusted well to the darkness, and with the clear image of Daemon at the edge of the cell, there was nothing more TK wanted than for the digimon to leave and never return, and for something to prove Daemon wrong to appear. That ray of hope, maybe an appearance by a friend, the arrival of the other Digidestined, if he could be that optimistic... or, on the other end of the spectrum, which was looking much more likely, the time to accept his inevitable fate.

Then Daemon stopped, still facing the bars away from TK.

"I would make a deal with you."

TK looked up suspiciously. Why would Daemon suddenly offer to make a deal when his target was already sitting chained in the dungeon before him with an impending execution, and completely helpless to do anything?

"Accept your death. Do nothing to counteract it. And when a certain child comes... do not warn her. Let her come to us. Do this, and when all the fighting is over, I will personally make sure every Digidestined's life is spared if possible."

Daemon turned to face him, eyes intent.

TK had no choice in the death. It was the plan of Daemon and this Lord Dragomon that it happen. But it was what Daemon had said afterwards that struck him the most.

They knew the other Digidestined were coming, or at least trying to. But it had been Daemon in that abandoned apartment who finally brought him to his knees when the Spawn had failed. And Kari in the mirror...

The evil digimon had guessed correctly. TK was close to Kari, starting from that young age when the two of them had been thrown into the Digiworld adventure together. And it meant that she would be among anyone who came into the Dark Ocean. But why was Daemon so sure that Kari would be in the Dark Ocean?

Then he remembered his last contact with his friends. They had spoken of access points, and even a last ditch effort of infiltrating a tower that had a portal access to the Dark Ocean. But if that tower was being watched by the evil digimon they said they wanted to avoid, and if the access points did not allow them through, then it meant... everyone was in grave danger.

The entire operation was being transformed from something to save him into a deathtrap.

And Daemon was aiming to make sure only Kari made it through the portal into the Dark Ocean.

In his mind, TK recoiled at the realization. He also felt that if he lived, he would have to thank Ken for hanging around them, because he seemed to have rubbed off his sense of logic and reading between lines.

And the 'making sure the Digidestined were spared' part? They would be locked away forever, with the absolute power of the Dark Ocean looming over them. They would be alive. Not free.

TK looked straight into Daemon's eyes.

"Hell no. But thank you for letting me know I'm also going to be the bait in a trap set for my closest friend, I'll be sure to let her know so she can escape."

Without warning, Daemon leaped forward.

Pain erupted from TK's left shoulder, but the presence of Daemon's face inches from his own reduced what might have been a scream into a garbled choke.

The vengeful eyes of the evil digimon bore into his own. "One too many times you have jibed at me today. You would do well to not give me any more cause to spill your blood," Daemon rasped, into TK's ear. "After all, your blood is far too important to waste."

With a low chuckle, the digimon pulled back, leaving only one arm extended out. Narrowing his eyes, he viciously yanked back his bloody claw, withdrawing a loud gasp from the boy before him.

In return, TK could only stare trancelike, in an almost mesmerized state, at the claw with his own blood dripping off of it, while feeling something wet trickle on his skin from the pain in his left shoulder.

The two exchanged stares for a few moments, the only sounds in the room being gasping breaths and a slow drip.

Then finally, Daemon turned with a flourish of his cloak and retreated from the cell, slamming the bar door behind him.

As the digimon's footsteps echoed away, TK slumped down against the stone wall, feeling helpless. A slow realization was dawning on him, as the reality of what was going to happen began to sink in. What Daemon had said, what would be in store for everyone, and the plans of Dragomon...

The pain in his shoulder only made it seem more real.

Wordlessly, he brought his right hand up and touched his left shoulder. He ignored the sting and spasm that came, as he had expected, but the dampness of his shirt in that spot gathered most of his attention. Drawing his hand back in front of his face, he looked at his wet fingers that looked a stained black in the darkness of the cell.

"Heh," he let his head roll back to hit the stone wall behind him. "I really am going to die," he spoke to no one in particular, staring at the ceiling. He had accepted that fact earlier, but somehow the idea of going down while fighting, like he had believed earlier, did not quite match up with the reality of being a sacrifice in some sort of ritual. Execution sounded like a better term.

Absentmindedly, he wiped the blood off his fingers on his shirt. The shirt was already stained red in one spot, and as he was going to die soon, he saw no reason to keep formalities. He almost laughed at the thought of keeping his shirt clean at a time like this. He had how long... he had no idea, all he knew that when the hour before dawn came...

"Here, friend."

Something white rolled into cell, gently hitting the far wall next to TK. Surprised, he shifted his position, pulling the chain with him so he could reach the object. Reaching, he picked it up, and as he felt it in his hands, he realized that they were bandages.

"Bandages?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Aye. You'll need them, if you expect to keep your arm."

TK's head shot up as he held the roll in his hand, glancing around for the deep voice he heard. "Wait... who are you? And... you gave me the bandages?"

As he looked, he realized that he could see a figure moving in the cell across from him.

"It comes from a technique of mine. I am like you, a prisoner here." The digimon paused. "I suppose you expected others to be present."

TK sighed sadly. "To be honest... yeah."

"I am sorry to depart to you this news, but... you and I are the only ones here."

TK jumped at the news. He did not quite expect the digimon to say that. "What happened?" he asked.

"They came to the end, and passed on... never to return unless this realm regains its vitality and hope. But... enough of me chattering. Bind your wound... Daemon is a cruel character."

Wordlessly, TK began using his right hand to tug his left arm out of its sleeve. Wincing at the pain, he gently eased it out, letting his left arm stay limp as he did so. As he finally managed to pull his shirt up off of his shoulder, letting the damp fabric lay in a clump against his neck, he sat and stared for a moment, thinking about what Daemon had told him.

The side of evil was using TK to strengthen themselves. They would gain some sort of power, or something that would give them the upper hand in the never ending war with the side of good. And by doing so, they would remove the protection to another major source of power, while removing a major threat as well. TK felt that maybe he should be flattered that Daemon considered him an obstacle and a threat, but he knew it only meant more danger and trouble for him.

What scared him more was the role Kari would play. She was the one those of the Dark Ocean wanted... he still felt sick when he thought of the reason as to why. And the fact that Daemon and Dragomon were using him to reach her made him feel worse. He would be the one that led to her downfall...

Unable to clearly see his wound, TK chose instead to wrap his entire shoulder instead. Placing the end of the bandage in his mouth, he gently led the roll down and under his arm, gradually binding the cloth around the entirety of his shoulder and upper arm. As he finished, tying off the loose ends, he glanced back out past the bars.

It was hard to tell, but he thought he could see another set of bars, and a figure moving there. Cautiously, he crawled forward in an attempt to make out who might be there, careful to not use his left arm and dragging the chain along behind him.

Before long, he felt the chain grow heavy, and the sound of it against the floor vanish. He grimaced slightly at the pressure at his throat, and stopped where he was. He was closer to the bars now, and his vision would continue to adjust.

He could barely make out the outline of a thin figure with long pointed ears and a single horn. The rest, he could not see... although, he noted to his sadness, he could tell this being had been restrained just like himself. And then realized that the dark, but benign presence he had felt earlier... it belonged to this digimon.

"Thank you," he spoke. "My name's TK."

The figure nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Jigomon."

TK blinked. He remembered that name from the meeting with Daemon.

Jigomon seemed to take the moment of silence as though he expected it. "Yes, I am the one Daemon referred to... you must have done something rather spectacular for him to pay this much attention to you."

TK winced slightly. "I'm a Digidestined. I think we all get a lot more attention than we ask for."

"You truly are a Digidestined? And... hope. You stand for Hope."

It was more of a remark of surprise than anything else. TK was surprised as he heard the reverence suddenly imbued in Jigomon's voice.

"It... it is an honor to meet you. And I am sorry for you."

TK was aware of how sincere this digimon sounded. "I... I guess..."

He found it hard to acknowledge what he knew would soon come, and swallowed a couple times. Then, after a brief silence, he decided to break it. "So..." TK began, pointedly deciding to keep his mind away from his upcoming fate, "What's your story?"

Jigomon seemed to understand the aversion to what would happen, taking the opportunity to change the subject for TK's sake. He sighed slightly. "A very long time ago, I was once a simple digimon who lived in the Dark Ocean. It was peaceful then... it saddens me to think of what it must be like now."

Inside, TK felt an automatic surge of hatred pass through him. He had always abhorred anything to do with the darkness, and to think that this digimon used to live there... but, then why was Jigomon in the dungeons? Was he a spy, or someone else not to be trusted...? Or was he something else?

TK had not shown any difference outwardly, and Jigomon continued. "Anyway, we digimon who lived in this dark realm had always been threatened by those who thought to use the power of darkness against others. And one day, they all gathered together under some leader that promised them prestige and power to war against us. They called their leader some sort of a god that would lead them to the truth of what darkness was and what it could do..."

Jigomon shuddered. "That was Dragomon. From then on, our world changed. The sea itself became hazardous, we dared not go near it for Dragomon's army had control over it; but ocean was our source of resources and life, we could not continue for long. But... the war that followed...

"I was young and naïve. Somehow, I became a leader in the war, winning battles for the digimon, stopping advances, becoming proud of my achievements... and forever holding the hope that we would expel Dragomon from this realm. It is a hope I still carry with me."

Jigomon paused to look through the bars to TK. TK was suddenly reminded of himself for some reason. It took him a moment to remember that this was a native of the Dark Ocean he was talking to.

But then, he remembered running through the streets, seeing the ruins of buildings, the apartments that had not been touched in years, wondering if anyone had ever lived in them. Perhaps, Jigomon knew about them? Had he ever lived there? TK found himself filled with questions he wanted to ask. The other things he wanted to know, that he would never dare speak to Daemon about; he felt an urge to understand the history of this realm.

And maybe, if he did see Kari or Patamon or Matt or the others again, he could tell them so they would be warned about the Dark Ocean and what it had been.

Jigomon continued. "Eventually, we lost the war. The survivors were scattered. I led the resistance for a long time, but... well, I no longer know how long it has been since I was captured."

There was a brief silence. Then the digimon shifted and crawled forward a bit. "You must pardon me for being curious, but... please, tell me what the world outside is like, from your perspective. As much as you know..."

TK stiffened slightly. He was unsure how much he wanted to tell Jigomon; he still did not quite trust this digimon, but having heard the story, he wanted to believe that everything had happened. It explained a past that showed from what he had seen during his flight in the city. And if everything was true... then his respect for Jigomon would be among the highest he had for anyone.

Quietly, he closed his eyes. He thought instinctively for a moment, trying to choose.

With his heart leading him, he knew.

"What was the Dark Ocean like the last time you really saw it?" TK spoke softly, looking up sorrowfully at the one across the dungeon hall with a feeling of reverence. "I don't know if what I'm about to tell you will be really depressing or what you expected."

Jigomon was silent for a moment. "The majority of the city was still standing. Much of the populace lived in terror; many had already fled and gone into hiding. We were assisting them of course... Dragomon's army enjoyed entering into the heart of the city to flaunt their victory every now and then in the twisted manners they would. And the corrupted darkness... it was beginning to seep everywhere, though it had only successfully encompassed all the beaches last I saw."

TK could hear from Jigomon's tone that he hated how much the Dark Ocean had been changing. It only made the job of telling him how it was now more difficult. And Jigomon looked almost desperate to know what had happened.

"I think the city's abandoned," TK answered truthfully. "The only signs of life I saw were... well, the Spawn that Daemon sent after me. The apartment I hid in looked as though no one had touched it for years. Um... is the 'corrupted darkness' what's covering these cells?"

"Yes."

"... it was most definitely everywhere. At least, everywhere I went in this world."

Jigomon had gone quiet. TK was suddenly aware of the coldness of the dungeon, and what he now knew as the corrupted darkness flowing in and out of the walls, merged with the fibers of the shadowed plane. It only served to spread the feeling of melancholy and despair that TK realized was coming from Jigomon. It was like a tool to put forth the negativity of the realm.

"Our world was beautiful once," the digimon crumpled into the corner of his cell.

TK nodded, thinking about home. "What was it like?"

Jigomon's eyes suddenly glinted as though in memory, and to his surprise, TK saw a flash of gold. "The silver moon... it used to shimmer in the sky, only the faintest light, which made our days and nights wondrous and night more mysterious. Our cities bustled with the night activities, where life dwelled and digimon danced, in happiness and jollity. The sea held celebrations and peace for us, and the pure mist was told to circle those meant for each other. The scene of the full moon over the sea, a light mist over the waves and the shapes of the deep and peaceful Mermon as they came to the surface, singing. We would come out while the light was fading, to watch the moonrise in its glory. All in the days before Dragomon came to power, harnessed the darkness of our world, corrupted it for his own uses... now, the Spawn are all that are left of the weakest of those who turned to Dragomon's side."

TK could only stay silent, as he thought about what the Dark Ocean must have been like, a very long time ago. As he pictured the scene in his head, a feeling of peace and serenity filled him, and gave him an almost beautiful sense of what he realized had been a way of life, once.

Just like all the fun times he had ever had at home, with friends and family.

"It must have been... really amazing," TK quietly admitted.

Jigomon smiled. "Yes... it truly was. A time long past, now though. Maybe..." he turned to look at TK again. "Maybe, you will live long enough to see it in its full beauty once again."

TK let out a breath of sadness. "Maybe..."

The digimon turned sharply towards him. "What are you saying? Have hope, friend. You are, after all, the Child of Hope."

"But, from where we are now..."

"Hope exists for all people, whether from the darkness or the light. For both sides as well, evil and good. Only the scales of fate decide whom hope will assist. But you come from both the side of light, and good. Perhaps it is more inclined to help you."

TK lowered his head, thinking and wondering. "I don't know any more. I'm supposed to be dead by sunrise. If my friends come to help me, they'll end up dead too. And Dragomon will have Kari."

"Do you still have hope?"

He turned his head sharply. "What?"

Jigomon was giving him a hard look, his golden eyes now more visible and glowing slightly with determination. "Daemon may have been correct about certain things involving hope. But things come to pass. All things, good and bad, come to an end. The world of darkness fell to Dragomon. Are you going to let the same befall the world of light?"

TK's eyes widened. "Of course not!" he retorted.

"Then will you let go of your hope?"

He suddenly realized what he had been thinking for a while, ever since he had started being plagued by that darkness of the Dark Ocean. It was as though many things that made up who he was had been slowly sucked away throughout his ordeal.

He took a deep breath. It was still difficult to make himself believe in the trait that he had carried proudly for years, especially now. "I was chosen to hold the Crest of Hope. It's hard for me to remember why sometimes, especially right now when everything seems to be headed in such a bad direction. But... I'm kind of in the middle of something pretty big right now. If anything..." he smiled. It was the first true smile he had had in what felt like a long time. "I have the hope that Daemon and Dragomon aren't going to win everything. If I somehow make it out of this alive, that'll be the first step in fixing this balance between the two sides of the worlds."

Jigomon's eyes widened slightly, as though testing him. "And if not?"

It was a subject TK did not want to think about, but he knew it was something that more than likely might be a reality. "Dragomon isn't going to get his hands on Kari, for one thing. And everyone else... they're strong. And there are many more Digidestined now than there used to be. They'll be able to end this. I... I'll just be with them in spirit, I guess."

The digimon chuckled kindly, and nodded. "That's more like it. If even I, the last remnant of a lost society kept alive for Dragomon's entertainment, could keep hope that one day the world could return to the way it once was, then you, the Child of Hope and one of the legendary Digidestined, should be able to as well."

However, at Jigomon's words, TK suddenly felt a burst of pity and anger. He knew what would happen to him, but Jigomon's fate...?

_Whoever this Dragomon is... is a sick and twisted digimon. _

"I'm going to find some way to get you out of here too," TK pulled himself closer to the bars, the strain at his neck feeling more evident. "At least I'll try to. That's another thing to hope for too, right?"

Jigomon's eyes dimmed with an emotion TK could not quite place. It took a few moments for the digimon to compose himself. "Thank you, Digidestined," his voice quavered. "I appreciate it."

_He still had hope for the future of the world, but never any for himself._

"Tell me more about this world," TK suddenly found himself asking. It was a way of keeping his mind off of what would come, and the fact that he was interested in what the Dark Ocean had once been. Not to mention, he wanted to know anything he could if he managed to live.

Jigomon pulled himself away from the wall he had slumped down upon, dragging the chain with him. He stopped roughly the same distance from the bars that TK was in his own cell. Nonetheless, TK thought that it felt a little less lonely; he could ignore that he had had no food or drink in a while, and it was a little more bearable. Maybe, he could pass the last hours of his life happily.

"I will gladly tell of it," the digimon answered. It seemed as though he was barely holding in the excitement of being able to speak to someone again, with a person who had seen the world outside of the dungeon in more recent times. "But please, I would also like to learn more about your world."

TK blinked in surprise. "My world?" He noticed that he could now see Jigomon's outline much more clearly. His eyes must have adjusted, finally.

Jigomon looked slightly embarrassed. "My peers always thought I was the odd one, but I had a fascination with the light and everything to do with it as a young digimon. And we always heard tales of what the legendary Digidestined might be like. And... it will give me something to think of until my time is gone."

TK nodded, aware that Jigomon could see his movements and knowing that he needed no verbal confirmation. Still, the way that Jigomon spoke at the end... it reminded him of the situation both were in.

_We're all fighting against the same enemy. Dragomon is the true enemy... Daemon was never even here before we sealed him. But Daemon is still working with Dragomon._

_The digimon that used to live here were victims of someone abusing the power of darkness. I guess that Jigomon is a dark digimon, or might be one since he's from here, but... he's not bad. He's almost like me. Maybe the darkness isn't so bad... it's just easiest to use for power. And so this realm, the Dark Ocean... _

_This world is what happened when the defenders lost, and now Dragomon's in power. The normal light side of the Digiworld... and back home too... they could end up the same way._


	13. Charge

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. However, I do own the grunt enemies (called Spawn...). This seems to make me a bad person in terms of storyline and the poor characters, I guess...

A/N: So, forty-five pages and a heck of a lot of work. I never expected this chapter to end up this long; I even cut out the last scene to be included in a future chapter. However, I can only hope that the flow of this chapter still goes well. All I can say is that I thank the endless spamming of both the Transformers Soundtrack and Score for helping me churn out about three quarters of the entire thing. Plus a dark room at two in the morning.

And here is the thirteenth chapter.

* * *

_**Charge**_

The outline of the tall, ominous stone tower gradually growing in size as they drew nearer might have repelled any normal being, but the group only doubled their efforts to reach it. At the present, it was their goal, the entrance to a place where a friend lay beyond.

Kari still held on tightly to Patamon, mostly to make sure he did not get pulled away from the speeding group and become lost behind them. She was staring straight ahead, not talking to anyone, focusing only on what was ahead and what needed to occur.

_We need to get inside that tower. We need to get there as soon as possible. TK needs us. We're his hope now. _

She had started having strange feelings that something horrible and devastating would happen if they did not make it into the Dark Ocean soon. Although she had been afraid she might overly worry the others, she realized that she had managed to connect to TK in some manner and promptly informed the rest of the group. It only increased the feeling of urgency.

Not long after, Mimi had finally managed to make her D-terminal work, having spent the least amount of time in the darkness around the warp. She had sent the message about everything that had happened in the group's attempt to enter, and after shouting a large, hearty "YES!" once the message went through, had sunk back into the post-warp depression. It did not help that minutes after the report had been sent, Tai had sent reply saying that they needed to talk urgently the moment they arrived at the tower.

The atmosphere surrounding the group was tense and serious. Still flying towards the tower, Kari heard a sudden beep from her D-terminal. She automatically pulled it out to check – Ken and Mimi did the same.

**Stay put. Land by the purple tree that's about to fall down. **

She blinked, and glanced at Ken and Mimi, who had also looked up simultaneously. Without questioning (though she wanted to), she relayed the message to Nefertimon, who immediately began circling gently in the air drafts.

Ken apparently understood the message exactly, as he was looking about wildly for any motion of a falling tree. Kari could see that in this area, it was mostly forest with many patches of darkly colored trees... and after reading the message, the tufts of purple from the forest canopy caught her eye.

A few moments later, she heard a crash of something tall falling over.

Stingmon had already turned, confirmed the site, and started in the direction of the fallen tree. Wordless, Nefertimon followed, still solemn with the understanding of what had to occur. Kari only focused on where the two digimon were flying towards, still glancing every now and then at the tower. It still looked a good distance away from them, possibly taking another ten or so minutes to reach it flying if they tried, so she supposed it meant the entire group was convening nearby. Likely, at the purple tree.

It took only moments to reach the spot where the tree had fallen. Kari could see the others crowded around it, mostly wandering back and forth restlessly as though nervous and worried, though from the various marks on the tree, she could tell that all the digimon had outdone themselves on it. As Nefertimon and Stingmon drew closer, she saw many of them lift their heads up to gaze at the last members of the group, watching as they came to join; those who did not looked too depressed and dejected to notice. Kari could not help but notice that Davis was among them.

They respectfully backed away to create a space for Nefertimon and Stingmon to land. Kari could not help but see that they were watching her with a sense of apprehension; briefly, she felt hurt, but realized it was not because of her, but because of what had been told by Patamon and what she had said in reply.

Her thoughts were confirmed the moment Nefertimon's paws touched the ground. Kari jumped down from her partner's back as she always did when dismounting, and in an instant, Matt raced up and grabbed her by both shoulders, looking frantic.

"What's going on, Patamon lost his partner connection with TK which normally only happens if one of two partners _dies_, but you're sure he's alive?!" he shook her vigorously, his tone full of urgency and fear.

Kari wanted to answer, to assure Matt that his younger brother was indeed, alive, but before she could, Tai came up and gently tried to pry his friend from her first.

"Matt, I know he's your brother and you have every right to freak out the most out of all of us, but you're manhandling my sister," he said in what Kari thought was one of his most authoritative voices yet.

Matt took a deep breath, and forced himself to let go. He took a step back, as though trying to control his actions and keep his mind from panicking. Then he looked back into Kari's eyes pleadingly.

Kari returned his gaze. "TK is still alive. I'm absolutely sure of it," she said, resolute.

Matt continued staring at her for a moment. Then he slowly sank to the ground, silent but lowering his eyes. He dug his hand into the soil, gripping at it with tense fingers.

"That's... good to know..." he whispered, his normally collected voice quavering.

The solemn atmosphere covered the area like a thick cloud, each person somber in their thoughts as silence also settled about them. Almost automatically, Gabumon walked up and gently placed a claw on his partner's shoulder.

Matt did not respond to Gabumon, but bowed his head, his body shaking slightly. At that moment, Sora chose to approach him as well, carefully positioning herself opposite Gabumon. Then she slowly wrapped her arms around him, giving him a reassuring squeeze as she did so.

The blond pulled his hand from the ground and gripped the hand and claw of Sora and Gabumon, finally acknowledging them and taking in the comfort they were trying to give him. Beyond that, he still stared downwards, his hair hiding his eyes from view.

Sora turned her head slightly to make eye contact with Tai. "We should start," she spoke, not letting go of Matt but speaking with a firm tone.

Tai nodded in reply, his face uncharacteristically grave as he looked at the entire group. Kari watched as he seemed about, making sure that the each person seemed reasonably settled. Ken, Mimi, and Palmon had already dismounted from Stingmon, the four of them simply matching Tai's gaze.

"My group put together a battle plan after we finished scouting," he explained. "I know you guys just got here, but... I think it's in TK's best interests that we do this fast."

At that, Tai glanced over towards Izzy, who once again had his laptop out. With a single nod, Izzy began typing furiously, only pausing to accept what looked like a charged laptop battery from Tentomon. The others, starting to become used to this sort of organization before major, more planned than the defending maneuvers they did more commonly, moved into a sort of semi-circle around Tai and Izzy.

"Oh, you should stay digivolved. We'll be fighting almost right after this meeting," Gabumon commented, his line of sight resting upon Stingmon and Nefertimon briefly. He gently nudged Matt as he did so, as the teen gradually plodded away to join the circle, with one of Sora's arms still draped around his shoulders.

Stingmon only rumbled in response. "Understood. TK will need all our support."

Kari let Patamon perch on her head, a position she knew TK always granted his partner. She could feel the small digimon stiffen slightly as she moved into the circle as well, flanked by Nefertimon, almost as though scared about what might happen in the immediate future. As far as she knew, TK was still alive, but had seemed very weak and not quite awake when she had spoken with him. Even if he had recovered from that since then, she felt that his state had been a bad omen.

Quietly, she turned her attention up towards where her brother stood with Agumon, in fact right before the fallen purple tree from earlier. Izzy and Tentomon sat a bit off to the side, seemingly preparing for some sort of presentation.

Tai now stood before everyone, his calm demeanor almost giving off his leadership aura, but not masking the apprehension that even he felt. He only shrugged as the large holographic screen with a map of the area popped into existence behind him, glowing in the darkness of the night; in response, he began to address everyone. "All right, Izzy worked out most of the strategy for this battle, so I'll let him explain that, but on some more important notes, we have some stuff to go over.

"First off – the Vilemon here may or may not be in league with whatever's in charge of the Dark Ocean. They could very easily be innocents in this, and we would be attacking them for no reason at all; so, I'm going to go in with Agumon to talk to them first."

Apparently, that was news to everyone minus Izzy and Tentomon. The group suddenly turned into a mild spree of shouting.

"Tai, that's idiotic!"

"You can't do that!"

"You serious?!"

"That's suicide!"

After a few more seconds of varied yelling, Tai rolled his eyes and glared. The look he gave everyone was intense enough that the noise died to silence.

"I know it might be suicide," he answered calmly, gazing briefly at Joe before turning his attention back to everyone. "But it's worth a try. If the Vilemon are innocent and willing, they actually might let us go in, and then we don't have to fight. No one gets hurt. I'll take that risk."

Agumon nodded along with him. "We already talked it over earlier," he assured the others. "It'll be fine; if things go badly, I'll protect Tai. Besides, it's a good idea."

Kari felt as though Tai would walking to his death.

Glancing about at the still uneasy Digidestined and digimon, Tai chose to continue. "Anyway, I'll be doing that at the very beginning. And the moment I get attacked is the moment you guys get to start the battle.

"Remember, the point of this is to get into the tower, to wherever that portal is to the Dark Ocean, so we can save TK. I don't think any of us feel great about this entire attack, so if something really bad happens, get off the battlefield. And then contact everyone, letting them know. At some point, we'll regroup back here at Point A... right here where are right now, remember that... to figure out more for the purpose of getting in. I'll send out an email via D-terminal when we do... or if I can't for some reason, Matt or Davis will."

At that, he looked pointedly at the two said people.

Davis looked a mildly surprised, but otherwise kept his mouth shut, nodding. Matt just seemed slightly confused as to why Tai would ask him.

Before he could ask though, Tai turned straight towards Izzy. "Let's get to the battle plan now."

Izzy wasted no time as he moved slightly to address everyone. Tentomon flew towards the holographic screen, apparently preparing to help in the explanation, while Tai and Agumon carefully walked over to the side so that everyone could see the screen clearly.

"Okay, so these are pictures we took of the area earlier," Izzy began, bringing up a slideshow of photos. "As you can see," he clicked through the slideshow, "The tower is well guarded. There are mostly Vilemon everywhere around it, they seem to keep circling around. And..." he paused at one photo. It looked like a humongous mound of grey and red, with mottled spots of brown ground and one large circular structure in the center. "Uh, this is a full on aerial shot," he explained. "The circle in the middle is the tower. So, obviously what we're facing here is... rather akin to an army guarding a fortress.

"They don't seem fairly organized though," he continued, again letting the pictures go on and off the screen. "From what it looks like, they mostly seemed to be sitting around waiting for something. Though, from our observations, about half of the forces outside were eventually replaced over time by more from within the tower, with the previous half entering in. Which means that a large portion of the overall number of enemies is also inside the tower."

At this point, Izzy closed the slideshow.

On the screen, without the photos covering it, lay a diagram of the entire battlefield.

Tentomon began buzzing as he went to start pointing at certain parts of the map. Izzy simply continued his report. "Tentomon's acting as the pointer since this program is stupid and I didn't have time to animate any arrows of any sort," he said matter-of-factly. "Anyway, the diagram is identical to the aerial shot shown earlier. Notice the terrain."

Tentomon moved to show some of the ridges on the diagram.

"This is fairly important. These are the edges of the area," Izzy noted. Then he saw the somewhat blank looks of the more newly arrived members of the group. "The tower is in the center of this sort of crater, which actually puts us at a tactical advantage. Remember though, the Vilemon can fly, so this may not last long if we aren't careful.

"We're going to split up into five groups, seeing as Tai will be attempting to play ambassador and TK..." Izzy stopped, suddenly swallowing. "TK's not here." He quickly shook his head, as though forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. "Anyway, we'll surrounding the tower at five different points, and mounting a head on assault, since it's pointless to try sneaking in anyway. However... here's the main thing.

"We have no idea what's in the tower.

"Ideally, it would be best to draw out as many of the troops from inside the tower as possible. In fact, since the real purpose of this attack is to reach the portal inside, the main assault will act as a distraction, while a select group will try to enter the tower. Note though, this will not occur for a while, seeing as we would have to thin the numbers of the enemy a considerable degree first.

"So, here's the plan."

Izzy faced everyone, a hard look in his eyes.

"Each person except for Tai, chooses a partner; ideally, one flying digimon partnered with one primarily ground based digimon; DNA digivolving partners are also going to be more ideal than not. Each set of partners will begin at one of the five points on this map," he nodded, and Tentomon in turn buzzed to point out each area. "When you get to your point, message Tai. He'll message when he starts his part. Once the signal has been put out to actually begin the battle, work together to create distractions and draw the troops outside. Try to spare lives if possible, but remember that the Vilemon may be actively trying to kill. In which case, attack out in self defense. Please everyone, don't be stupid about this.

"At a certain point in the battle, Tai will contact one of you form a group and head inside. The reason we're not doing this right now is because this step depends on the physical and mental states of everyone at that point.

"Last but not least, if you do get into a bad circumstance, come straight back here to Point A, and contact Joe if he's not here. He's acting as our medic, seeing as he knows best what he's doing and that he stopped by a Digiport on the way here to get supplies. Kudos to him for managing to steal extra medical stuff from his dad.

"All right then. Pair off, everyone."

Kari spared a glance at Nefertimon, who only tilted her head slightly in response. As one of the partners who regularly flew about, they knew they should let the ground based pairs choose the groups. The two quickly moved closer to each other, deciding to watch as the four members of the group whose digimon could not fly in the Champion mode paired off with those who could.

However, as Mimi and Palmon moved to Sora and Biyomon, and Joe and Gomamon made eye contact with Izzy and Tentomon, Kari began to feel that her worries were slightly unneeded. Then, she saw as Davis and Ken made the quick decision to split up, whereupon Matt joined Ken and Cody joined Davis, she felt almost surprised, but relieved, to know exactly who her partner was.

Yolei and Hawkmon strode up to her, both with stony blank faces that betrayed no emotion other than an acceptance of what was to happen. Kari remembered clearly that Yolei had hated the destruction of other digimon... and that in this battle, they were quite possibly going to be causing a massacre.

She would have asked how Yolei was doing, but the older girl beat her to it. "Are you holding up okay?" Yolei asked, the blankness in her face dropping and showing sincere concern.

Kari nodded. "Yeah. What about you?"

Yolei scrunched up her face, as though expecting something. "I'm fine... I'm more worried about you though." At Kari's surprised look, she shrugged. "I know when you're deflecting attention away from yourself, you know. It's okay, I won't ask. Hawkmon and me'll be right by you."

Kari could not help but think that Yolei had grown to a point where she could read her own DNA digivolving partner's emotions. It probably came with having their partners literally join together as one.

And strangely, the particular kinship she felt with Yolei was one of the few reassuring things she had felt throughout this current ordeal with the Dark Ocean.

"Everyone set up? Good. Sora's group, by the back," Izzy began handing out commands, Tentomon helpfully flying about to show exactly where each group would be stationed at. Kari tried to listen more closely, but her mind drifted instead, thinking about everything from the upcoming battle, to what lay inside the tower, and the lingering hope she still had that somehow, everything and everyone would be all right in the end. Vaguely, she thought she heard a last lingering comment from Izzy, and then a shout from Tai.

Then Yolei gently tapped her forehead. "Hey Kari, look sharp."

Kari blinked. "I'm sorry... I was distracted..." she noticed the others beginning to disperse slightly, some preparing to digivolve, and Izzy starting to put his laptop away. "Uh... where are we?"

"Front entrance area, closest to Tai and Agumon's position. Basically, we just fly north to the ridge."

Kari nodded. "Nifty."

It was at that moment that Davis decided to wander over to where she and Yolei stood. He looked at her with a somber expression. "Kari, can I talk to you alone for a sec?"

Kari, seeing Davis' sorrowful eyes, nodded. Without another word, Davis beckoned for her to follow and walked away through the trees.

With a slight glance in Yolei's direction, she carefully picked Patamon up off the top of her head. "I'll be back," she whispered, setting the digimon atop Nefertimon, before silently trailed after Davis.

The said boy had stopped in a small grove of trees away from the main clearing area, staring up at the still dark sky. He looked surprisingly thoughtful as he did so, not turning as Kari gently entered the area behind him.

It had been a while since the last time he had spoken to her, she realized.

"Davis?"

He did not answer, still only gazing away at darkness above. For a moment, Kari wondered if he had heard her, and briefly opened her mouth to speak again. However, she realized, as she glanced at his shadowed figure, that his fists were clenched, and he seemed to be struggling with something internally.

She delicately stepped up to him, noting how tense he seemed. Gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Davis? Is something wrong?"

He took a deep breath.

"We're going to get him back."

Kari blinked in surprise as Davis suddenly whirled around, placing his hands on her shoulders with a fierce gaze staring back towards her. "I believe you, he's alive, and we need him back. So let's both go into this and fight for that person we both care about, because we know what he was going through before this, and we're going to help him out. You make he's all right too, 'kay?"

Kari nodded in slight dumb shock, surprised at how suddenly Davis had changed his demeanor. He only nodded tersely and gave her a half smile, before striding forward, past her and back towards the clearing.

However it was as his hand lingered on her shoulder and gently drew away that she knew there was something more.

"Davis, what's wrong?" she asked in a stern tone.

He stopped. "Nothing."

"You're usually the blunt one, you say what you think," Kari continued. "And we are friends, we've fought together, we're in the same class, you would think I would know that something's off by now."

His shoulders immediately sagged. Kari was surprised by how quickly she had managed to make Davis drop his wall and speak more truthfully.

"You're right," he turned again towards her, the same serious half-smile on his face. "There is something more wrong. There's just too much of it to say, and I can't figure out how to make it make sense. And there isn't that much time either. But hey, I tried..."

"Davis."

She had a hunch as to what he was thinking. However, she did not want to fully bring it out; she knew that everyone had enough on their minds at the moment as it was.

"You understand... how, because of who we are and what crests we hold, why TK and I are the way we are, right?" she spoke softly, stepping towards the boy with a gentle expression lifted towards him. "Unfortunately, it makes us targets, and so we end up having to support each other through what happens. We sort of... understand the kinds of things we both have to go through, things that not everyone else has to deal with."

He nodded. "I know. I just didn't know how bad things could get with it until yesterday afternoon. But... I kinda started picking up on it a while back."

He paused, looking down at the ground. Kari glanced away, unsure of what to say. The silence between them only echoed the awkward seriousness of everything.

A few moments later though, Davis looked back, his eyes filled with pain and worry. "How long have you guys had to deal with this kind of stuff?"

"... you've heard the story about TK, Patamon, and Devimon, right?"

Davis blinked. "No, I haven't. This is part of what happened about four years ago, isn't it?"

Kari nodded, not meeting his gaze. "Yeah. I wasn't there when this happened... Devimon was the first true enemy that the older kids had to fight. I don't think they'd even been in the Digiworld for barely even a week at that point, but... maybe you should ask TK himself for the details. Or the older kids... even Patamon… mostly because that battle is the reason why TK can have such splits in how he acts. But the majority of that came because..."

She trailed off, almost not wanting to continue. She remembered how solemn TK had been when explaining to her what that experience had been like; she did not know how he would take it if he found that Davis knew exactly what had happened. But at this point, she thought he should know.

He was really much smarter than most people gave him credit for.

"Devimon was going after TK," Davis finished her sentence. "And whatever happened was really painful."

Her silence confirmed his statement.

"You see, this is why I feel so bad now. You and TK've had to deal with these evil digimon coming after you ever since you were little. Looking at it now just makes me feel like such an idiot for being the way I used to be. Back when this all started... for us younger kids anyway. And now the stakes are so high, and if we mess up, someone's gonna die. I'm just so worried that someone might be TK. I can't let that happen. And I'm supposed to be a leader, right? How good a job have I been doing? You and me were the first out of everyone to know that something bad was gonna happen, and what good did I do? I couldn't do anything. TK's in the Dark Ocean. Alive, but in trouble. And..."

He looked at her, eyes scanning her figure briefly before staring down dejectedly once again.

"Davis... you're a lot more mature than most people think you are."

He blinked bemusedly.

"And really... thank you. For everything. You're not letting me down or anything. I know that everyone going on... it's hard for you too."

Davis let out a hollow laugh. "Yeah, I guess you do."

Before he could say anything else, Kari strode forward and wrapped her arms around him. His body froze for the briefest moment, and suddenly she found him returning the gesture. He choked something back softly, shaking a little as he hugged her back, and she gently squeezed him a bit in a reassuring manner. Then, she suddenly realized that he was close enough that she could feel his heart pounding in his chest, as the beat continued faster and tensely...

He pulled away slightly. "Thank you, Kari. You know, I really meant what I said earlier too," he said, smiling. "He's alive, and we aren't giving up. We're going to get him back. Me and Cody are right next to you and Yolei for starting points in the battle, so I'll be close by for this. It's all gonna be okay, so yeah. And, uh..."

He suddenly leaned in. Kari felt the briefest touch, a sensation of lips brushing past her cheek, gently pausing in the movement to linger before pulling away...

"Make sure he takes good care of you."

With that, Davis hopped away, giving her one last smile before rushing out of the small clearing.

Kari softly lifted a hand and touched her cheek. _Davis, I know what this means for you... Thank you... and I'm sorry. _

She felt her mind wander as she slowly started trudging away and back towards the main clearing, following in the direction that Davis had just left. It seemed that everything was changing, like some things were coming to an end, while others continued to affect everything. For a moment, she wondered... what it would have been like if she was not the Child of Light, TK was not the Child of Hope, and the darkness stopped trying to target everyone. It was a blind wish for peace, for the evil to stop hurting those she cared about.

Davis was proof that fighting all the time forced people to mature faster and think more deeply than they might have at their age. She was perfectly aware what he had essentially said he was giving up, for the reasons that he actually did care about more than a crush. It was everyone, his friends, the team, the group as a whole...

Evil and the darkness wanted them dead. She could not allow that to happen. No one could.

Carefully pushing her way back into the main clearing, she saw only Yolei, Aquilamon, Nefertimon, and Patamon sitting there, still waiting. Inwardly aware that Davis and Exveemon had already left, she made her way towards the last few that she would be starting the battle with.

"Are we ready?" Yolei asked. A slight glimmer in her eyes told Kari that she had just seen Davis leave, and had the faintest idea of what had just occurred between her and the younger goggle boy.

Kari nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

She approached Nefertimon, stopping only briefly as her partner gave her a knowing look. She sighed, gently placing a hand on the digimon's flank and reflecting.

_It's all about to start. TK... we'll be there soon..._

With that, she determinedly pulled herself up and mounted.

Patamon hopped down from his spot where he had been sitting on Nefertimon's head, looking as serious as Kari had ever seen him. He automatically placed himself into Kari's arms, as it was safer for him to be held while the group flew to their starting position.

Kari held on, and making eye contact with Yolei, nodded.

Yolei, having already mounted Aquilamon, replied. "Yeah. Let's go."

In unison, the two digimon lifted into the air, being gentle and quiet in the still dark night. Understanding the need to stay low and unseen, they stayed within the masses of trees, silent but for the powerful heavy beats of their wings propelling them forward. Aquilamon led the way, gracefully gliding between tree trunks and branches, focused towards reaching the starting position.

Behind, Nefertimon watched with an observant eye for the ridge they were to set themselves at, as well as perhaps any enemies lurking in the forest as guards. The sky still a black blanket with the dots of light peeking down from in between its meshed weaving, the peace seemed superficial in the knowledge of what was to come.

Aquilamon slowed, bringing his wings up to halt his movement. Nefertimon copied the motion, knowing that as Aquilamon was in the lead, he would be able to know when to stop and what position was right in preparation for a quick assault. Another gesture from Yolei told the others behind that the inference was true.

With no words spoken between them, the Nefertimon and Aquilamon lowered themselves to the ground, coming lightly onto the firm soil. Looking out, Kari realized that only a thin barrier of trees separated them from an enormous expanse of something that was no longer forest. They truly were at the ridge, where they were set to stay until Tai and Agumon were threatened.

They stayed mounted for reasons that they might have to start at any moment, when Tai and Agumon began their attempt at diplomacy. A little nervous, Kari gently nudged Nefertimon, who understood and pawed her way forward. She stopped next to Aquilamon, who also looked out onto the expansive field that was the crater, with the tall shape of the imposing tower looming in the center of it.

Staring further, Kari could see that the entire ridge was lined by the outline of the multitude of trees, but once the ground began sloping downwards, the landscape became barren and empty. She could not see exactly what color it was, due to the fact that dawn had not yet come and the sky was still dark, but she could at least tell... and feel, that there was no life there. Looking up, she wondered briefly if the others had reached their spots yet. She could see nothing from across the long expanse, but she knew that somewhere in the trees around the crater area, the other Digidestined and digimon would be sitting in wait for the signal if it needed to be given.

However, the shapes of the Vilemon told her more. Now seeing it for herself, she saw that there were large groups of them, practically an army really, and far too many for only a group of eleven Champion level digimon to successfully defend themselves against. She sincerely hoped that Tai would succeed in this crazy idea of his, because then it would mean they would have no need to fight in a battle where they were outnumbered and had to act quickly in.

"If something happens, who's sending the message to start the attack?" Kari found herself asking as she gazed over the field at the army.

"Tai," Aquilamon rumbled from behind. "He said he would set his D-terminal so that the moment something went wrong, he could whack it and it would send the message to everyone. His words exactly."

Kari giggled slightly. "It figures that he would be the one to just whack his D-terminal."

She immediately sobered. The circumstances where he might have to 'whack' anything were serious as they were, and she knew that at this point, any move could have disastrous results.

"Oh, we didn't message him, did we?" Patamon suddenly interjected, sounding still very quiet and somber compared to his normal self. Yolei wordlessly pulled out her D-terminal and began to press buttons briefly.

She finished moments later, pressed one more button, and then held it out in wait for the signal that would mark the last chance they had of making it to the Dark Ocean without the need for the battle.

They waited in silence.

The telltale beep moments later told them everything.

**I'm going in. – Tai**

Kari had had to pull out her D-terminal and look herself. It was just another sign that something was about to happen, that her brother was going out into the field to risk his life for the sake of no conflict, and that every move made on the chessboard of the tower's battlefield could lead to a trap based from the mastermind who had set everything and planned for how his opponent's decisions would lead to their demise...

Wordlessly, she pushed the device back into her pocket. She looked back out onto the field, watching for any sign, any motion that might show the start of what was to come. As two figures emerged from the trees and slowly made their way down the slope onto the field, she bit her lip in anxiety.

The moment the Tai and Agumon reached slightly more leveled ground, a large group of Vilemon gathered and surrounded the pair.

Kari did not think this boded well at all.

"Digidestined!" one of the Vilemon rasped. "What business do you have here?"

She was suddenly surprised when she realized how close she and Yolei were to Tai's position. They could hear the conversation, though distantly.

Tai raised his hands defensively. "I'm not here to fight anyone, I come in peace."

Kari watched as Yolei slammed her head against her palm. Evidently, she thought that the cliché thing to say in that particular situation. Though there really was not much else he could have said...

The Vilemon who seemed to be the leader only growled. "What is it you want?"

"I want to ask a few questions, and then for your help."

"What sort of questions?"

Agumon was eying the surrounding digimon apprehensively, and he glanced up at Tai in worry. The boy somehow was still managing a straight, serious demeanor.

"How much do you know about the Dark Ocean?"

"It depends on what you want to know."

Kari saw Tai bite his lip, as he was reaching into a dangerous area where his decisions could lead to one of many conclusions, either good or bad. After a moment of thought, he took a deep breath, and headed towards one of the blunt questions everyone needed him to ask.

"I've heard that this tower houses some sort of portal to the Dark Ocean. Is that true?"

The lead Vilemon suddenly grinned maliciously. "And you need this portal to save your friend?"

Tai stared, taken aback. "H-how..."

The Vilemon continued. "You have need to enter the Dark Ocean? Of course you would. This Child of Hope, who is of course one of your companions. You would not leave him to his death. How expected. Such honor."

"How do you know?" Tai breathed, suddenly looking tense. Kari clenched a fist, fearful for her brother and worried as to where this conversation was going.

"How do we know?" the Vilemon repeated, chuckling. "We were told, of course."

"By who?"

"Such an inquisitive human. By our masters, of course. If you want access to the Dark Ocean, you may wish to wait a few hours though."

The Vilemon gave Tai a hard look.

"After all, the Lord of the Dark Ocean would prefer to accept your visit after the preparations and the ritual are complete.

"Or, maybe we can save him the trouble of dealing with you."

Everyone stared in horror. In unison, they all glanced at Kari with apprehension in their eyes.

"Now," she commanded immediately.

The digimon jumped into action.

It was not a moment too soon. The Vilemon all leaped in unison, aiming for only two targets – Tai and Agumon. Tai shouted and ducked down as Agumon stood and called out, a bright light shining around both of them.

"Agumon digivolve to... Greymon!"

In the delay taken during digivolving, Nefertimon and Aquilamon had both swooped down upon the field. The Vilemon had already attacked, but not before Greymon managed to shield Tai from the brunt of it. The sudden incessant beeping from Kari's pocket told her that Tai had managed to send out the signal message already. The others would start fighting now.

The battle had truly begun.

"Rosetta Stone!"

"Blast Rings!"

The attacks blasted the crowd of Vilemon, knocking some away and managing to loosen the hold of others, but the majority continued to reach forward and attempt to claw their way to reach the single digimon and human lying in the center of their focus.

The image of another memory, one from much earlier that morning as she had awoken and renewed the link on the crystal mirror, rose in Kari's mind as Nefertimon streaked by the mob and angled back for another attack. She saw as a horde of dark beings had encroached upon one boy, reaching forward hungrily as he tried to defend himself with a D3 and a handaxe...

The scene was too familiar.

A blast of flame shot from the center of the pile, expanding outwards as it exploded.

"Nova Blast!"

Greymon's attack successfully blew away a few Vilemon, enough for the digimon to charge forward and out of the target zone of the enemy. He was cowered slightly over, holding Tai's figure protectively as he methodically whipped his tail back and forth, smacking any Vilemon attempting to follow.

Kari nudged Nefertimon forward. "Let's help Tai!"

"Understood!"

Nefertimon dove down, aiming her head towards the Vilemon directly behind the retreating duo.

"Cat's Eye Beam!"

The light phased its way through the rest of the crowd of enemies. They shrieked as the light burnt them, and they shouted out in frustration and anger as they tried to evade the continuing attack, as Nefertimon repeated it during her swoop.

Kari noticed Yolei and Aquilamon out the corner of her eye zooming forward to continue the defense of their fellow member. She held on tightly, both for the sake of Patamon and for her own safety, trusting her partner to do what she excelled at on the battlefield. In the meantime, she herself decided to visually examine the pair that had just narrowly escaped an unforgiving end.

To her great relief, she saw Tai hop out of Greymon's arms, looking a little frazzled but otherwise unharmed. He wiped his brow, taking a deep breath and holding onto the Champion level digimon steadily. She noticed that he mouthed something as he did so; Kari could easily guess that he was either being thankful to Greymon for protecting him, or expressing his disappointment (or something more vulgar) at the fact that his attempt at diplomacy had failed. But it had not been his fault; the Vilemon were purposely working against them.

"Are you all right Tai?!" Kari called down as Nefertimon prepared to make another dive.

Tai looked up, his face immediately brightening as he saw his younger sister. He waved and jumped up atop Greymon so that he could stay with his partner during the battle. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine!" he answered. "Let's do this thing!"

She nodded back. "All right. Be careful!"

A tender smile momentarily passed over Tai's face. "You too."

Greymon gave what could have passed as a salute. "I'll take care of him. Now, we fight!"

With that, the digimon promptly began stomping away, his footsteps loud booms that echoed throughout the area. Kari realized that in the distance, she could hear the sounds of explosions and intense crashes where she knew that the others must have already entered the battle.

She glanced to where Yolei and Aquilamon were eying her as though searching for signals to keep with the battle plan. Instantly, the purpose of the attack came back to her.

_We need to get most of the enemies from inside the tower to come out..._

She nodded towards them. Yolei nodded back, her face serious and determined. "Right. Chaos time."

With that, she let out a battle cry, and Aquilamon dove down towards the ground with his horns pointed forwards.

Shouts of "Grand Horn" and "Blast Rings" filled the air as the pair pushed past the hordes of enemy digimon, their strength combined coming out as the power behind the attacks. To Kari's surprise, the enemies below did not last long under the onslaught, but many instead withered away after a few hits.

"Kari, do you sense something odd about these digimon?" Nefertimon rumbled underneath her.

She nodded. "Yeah. They seem weaker than they should be... and they're not..."

They were withering and practically melting into nothing. Not bursting apart into data.

Kari glanced down and noticed Patamon wrinkling his nose slightly. "This feels fishy. Like something isn't going like we think it's going to."

Something suddenly shot upwards from the ground, missing Nefertimon only as she darted away in an automatic response. Kari nearly lost her balance as she tried to both hold Patamon and stay atop Nefertimon, but only her riding experience saved her.

"We've got company. Hang on!" Nefertimon shouted.

Something from below was shooting blasts upwards. A quick glance told Kari that Yolei and Aquilamon were in the same predicament, dodging and diving simultaneously.

To someone with projectile attacks, the two fliers were very large and clear targets.

Nefertimon began her evasive maneuvers, swerving right and left as shots came up at her. She darted forward with a fast burst of speed, then dropped down as another attack soared over her. Kari felt the attack's heat as it barely grazed past.

Then Nefertimon flew in a wide circle, head pointed down.

"Rosetta Stone!"

Multiple bursts of the attack zoomed downward, dropping down and exploding, like bombs falling. Each one boomed as it hit the ground, as clouds of dust and smoke erupted up and into the air.

Nefertimon whirled around, changing directions and shooting out more of her attacks. All along the ground, shouts and shrieks of digimon sounded as they were barraged.

It was only the knowledge that they had known about TK and were most certainly working with the enemy that kept Kari adamant in letting Nefertimon keep attacking. It seemed like slaughter to her, as Nefertimon flew high above the reach of the majority of the enemy below, and used her powers against them as they could not counterattack.

She knew that the others would have called it 'tactical advantage'.

As much as she disliked it, she was in the middle of a battle against others that would certainly be trying to kill her and her friends. There was no point to thinking about morals and the destruction of others.

The shots coming from below came again. They came in quick succession, as though whomever was attacking had adjusted their aim and were trying to the best of their abilities to gain a hit on the fliers. Nefertimon swerved to the left, then dove sharply in the other direction as a shot came from that side; she then began swiftly changing her flight patters in the effort to dodge the shots.

Kari pressed herself to Nefertimon's back, knowing that as she did so, she was also securing Patamon there, keeping him in her arm. She felt her weight shift forward, then to the side, then a sudden drop as Nefertimon dove in for another attack.

"Rosetta Stone!"

The digimon had aimed carefully this time, being more concerned with her target. A roar, different from that of the Vilemon, sounded as the attack made contact down below.

Nefertimon lowered a wing, banking and letting loose another set of the same attack, aimed and steady. They hit the same target, and Kari heard another last roar that died away as something below faded in the midst of black smoke.

Black smoke?

Nefertimon resumed her previous tactic of letting her attacks fall to affect as many of the enemy as possible. Now she was circling various areas, her voice shouting out as the attacks shot out and landed where the enemies were most concentrated. What looked like masses of digimon soon became scattered clumps here and there, separated and confused.

Then what might have been a legion charged out onto the field.

Kari eyed it suspiciously. It had come from the direction of the tower, which meant reinforcements.

Whatever it had been that had been firing blasts into the air had others like it in this new group of digimon. Kari found herself being jostled back and forth and had to grip onto Nefertimon with her arms and legs, whispering an apology to Patamon for squashing him. Nefertimon was maneuvering crazily in the air, with jerky turns and both sudden dives and an occasional barrel roll. Having never had to face so many enemies shooting like they were, Nefertimon was clearly having trouble continuing to dodge.

Kari on the other hand, was beginning to worry that she might fall off. Not knowing what else to do, she held on for dear life.

The blasts were still coming. She could feel the searing heat of them as Nefertimon barely dodged, and morbidly, she wondered what would happen if they were hit.

Moments later, she distantly heard Yolei scream.

Nefertimon was still dodging and trying to attack at the same time, but Kari tried to look over towards where she had heard Yolei's voice. But with the continual movement and her being almost unable to move for fear of falling off, she could barely more her head to try and see. Then Nefertimon changed directions again, and she lost whatever sight of Yolei and Aquilamon she might have had.

Kari then felt Nefertimon barrel roll again, found her concentration broken, and shrieked as she lost her grip.

Flailing, her legs automatically tightening onto Nefertimon's flank and her sense of gravity shot, she desperately tried to regain control and pull herself back though while upside down. She could hear Patamon squealing as he nearly flew out of her arms; she caught sight of heated blasts coming straight at her head from below, but Nefertimon kept moving so the attacks went past her instead.

Then Nefertimon was upright again, and she flopped to the side, grabbing the digimon's neck to break her motion and not fall.

"I'm sorry Kari! Rosetta Stone! I had to dodge like that! Rosetta Stone! Rosetta Stone! These don't stop coming!" Nefertimon shouted out, trying to apologize and attack at the same time.

Kari just gasped and pressed herself back onto Nefertimon's back. "It's okay!"

From between her chest and Nefertimon, Patamon just groaned. "It's weird being the rider in this!"

"Just ride on TK's head while he's playing basketball!"

Her mind brought back to the battle from her own comment, Kari took the slight lull in movement to look for Yolei and Aquilamon. She suddenly realized that she could not see them anywhere; there were other figures in the air much further away in differing locations around the tower, but as far as she could see, Nefertimon was the only flier in the nearby area.

Then there was a buzzing of wings, and she saw as Kabuterimon shot past into her designated battle air space, and then straight off and towards the edge of the crater to where the beginning of the forest was.

She could almost feel the worry spread through her, Nefertimon, and Patamon combined.

Nefertimon had started obsessively attacking downwards in retaliation for the earlier shots at her. Below, Kari could hear the shouts and cries of digimon as they were hit, as they dissipated into nothing upon defeat.

They were flying more normally now, gliding smoothly and in a twisted pattern that overlapped and went everywhere as Nefertimon attacked continuously. Scanning the ground, Kari saw that the numbers of enemies they were fighting against was decreasing.

Now that there were less digimon below and the ground had been more revealed, she realized that the entire battlefield before her was in fact littered with what looked vaguely like poles and spikes. Small white flags and flying ropes seemed to fly from them, fluttering in the wind caused by Nefertimon's strong beating wings.

She could feel an energy coming from them as the ornaments around the poles continued to swing about. It was almost as though they were connected to the tower in some way, like they acted in correspondence with it...

The purpose of the current phase of attack echoed through her mind again.

_Draw the majority of the forces outside of the tower, for the sake of those who go within..._

She leaned forward. "Nefertimon, those poles... aim for half of them, leave the others there. I think those things tell those inside the tower what's going on out here."

Nefertimon understood the unspoken comment that had not been added to her last sentence.

"Rosetta Stone!"

The attack landed squarely on the right side of the area, making the ground explode into a cloud of dust and flying shards of stone.

Nefertimon continued flying about, watching for attacks as the dust cleared away. Kari looked down and saw the destroyed remnants of the poles and spikes on the side, whilst others stood around where Nefertimon had aimed.

As she expected, the energy around the poles increased. She could feel it buzzing in the air around her, filling it with something that warped the space with an unearthly sense. Looking down below, she noticed that suddenly, the flags themselves abruptly glowed a dark color before fading back.

And moments later, more enemies came surging out of the tower, heading directly for the field where she had aimed, right towards her.

At the same time, the scent and feelings of the darkness she had felt around the other enemies on the field, and the tower itself, washed over her as though a new wave had been released into the world. It was as though one of the dark warps that had been opened up around the Digiworld was right around her, but stronger and not threatening to destroy her... it simply was.

The digimon below were not only Vilemon and whatever it had been firing the blasts upwards at them, but a mixture of many different kinds of Virus types. Kari winced, knowing what she and Nefertimon were doing, but grit her teeth. It was all to save someone, and it mattered because these digimon were part of the evil that came from the tower and the Dark Ocean, she told herself.

"Let's keep going," she said.

Nefertimon nodded in reply, and dove down.

"Rosetta Stone!"

The attacks fell down and made the ground explode, more clouds of dust filling the air. The digimon once again vanished, not into data, but into nothingness as they seemed to dissipate into the darkness.

_Into the darkness... it feels just like the darkness from the warps! And that darkness is that of the Dark Ocean..._

"Something's wrong. This feels like the Dark Ocean," Kari spoke, staring downwards.

Nefertimon attacked once more before responding. "I know. I'm recalling how those Divermon in the Dark Ocean weren't actually Divermon."

"So you mean that these digimon might not actually be digimon?!"

"It's a possibility."

_Like those... things in the mirror... that huge evil digimon called them Spawn, right? Are these - _

It was in that moment that Kari suddenly realized that each of those strange feelings about the digimon below had been about the same thing...

And at that moment the digimon in the dark army decided to release themselves and reveal what they truly were.

With a unified yell that spread across the entire field, in every direction surrounding the tower, the massive army morphed. All color was shed; bodies grew in size; suddenly the ground was a giant mass of tall, black creatures that all reeked of darkness and seawater. Patamon let out a noise of disgusted shock.

"Those things!" Nefertimon shouted. "They aren't digimon at all!"

_No... they're the Spawn... it's like they expected..._

A dark grey serpent-like creature with draconic wings shot up into the air at them. She shrieked as it charged directly towards them, its coils forming in some sort of attack –

"Cat's Eye Beam!"

The attack hit and bounced away, a loud pinging sound echoing as it did so. But the creature recoiled backwards briefly, the spot where the attack had hit leaving a white mark before fading back to dark.

Then it recovered and continued its assault.

Nefertimon dropped downwards as it shot forward. She swerved her head around, aiming at a closer range. "Cat's Eye Beam!"

As the creature turned, hearing the cry, the attack hit it straight on its nose. It reared away in pain, roaring and writing in the air.

And before Kari quite knew what she was doing, she had briefly released her grip holding onto Nefertimon, held out her hand towards the monster, and let out a shout.

White energy focused into the hand, and then shot out as a blast of light.

It hit the creature in the same place where Nefertimon's attack had hit earlier. However, this did what the digimon's could not; it penetrated the hard skin of the creature, and pushed through completely. There was a visual remnant of the blast's trail of motion, a single straight line of dimming light.

The creature did not let out another cry. It withered away.

Kari stared at her hand.

There was a pause.

"Was that you, Kari?" came Nefertimon's surprised voice.

Kari could not muster the extra energy to answer. Patamon gulped slightly in response. "Yeah, it was her. I think she's in shock," he spoke for her.

It was happening again. That same power that had come as she was trying to force her way through the darkness into the warp earlier, the one that Ken had said was becoming stronger because of her proximity to the darkness. The power of light from within her, because of who she was. And it was most certainly strengthening, from the battle and the fact that the enemies had just revealed themselves.

She clenched the hand. She could use that power of light offensively now. And if she could use it to attack... then she was going to fight as well.

"Nefertimon, I'm helping you out from here on!"

Nefertimon nodded, turning her head back towards Kari. "All right then. Let's go!"

Kari scanned the field again. She could see that all across the area, Spawn were shooting up into the air and taking the same form as that serpent figure that had just attacked them. However, she recalled that the creature the Spawn had transformed into not the form of any digimon she had ever seen; it was as though that form had been a mere semblance of one, a variation that served as a more convenient method of attacking.

Mentally, she began taking notes.

_They shapeshift. But... they seem to like being in their normal forms better. The darkness is strong here, coming from the tower. The air too... the darkness from all the warps earlier! They're drawing on that!_

Immediately, panic rose within her. She had no idea how much of the darkness had managed to seep into the world, only that it was dangerous and that it was being used.

The vast space of the entire Digiworld must have diffused its power to a degree however, because she could not sense it directly, not any more than she normally could. Still, if the darkness around was strengthening, then it meant further misfortune for everyone.

For her though, it was both a blessing and curse. This she knew far too well.

She transformed her panic into determination. _Panicking won't help now. But now... I can fight back._

Catching sight of another huge Spawn, in the form of the draconic serpent, Kari held out her hand.

"Hyah!" she shouted, her cry acting as a mental focus as the attack blasted out as it had before.

Light shot out, the blast hitting the Spawn. It let out a roar that quickly changed into its characteristic shriek, then withered from the strength of the energy that had hit it.

"The transformed ones are weaker!" Nefertimon called out, now seeming to give out battle tips. "They don't last as long as the others do! Aim for them!"

_So they have to give up something to transform? Makes sense..._

She suddenly heard a shout of pain, and then saw a green flash shoot past the tower. The figure spun in the air until a furious buzzing of wings brought it to a stop; it was Stingmon and Ken. For a moment, they looked nearly frozen except for Stingmon's wings as they rested aloft but unmoving. There was some sort of conversation going on, that apparently concluded quickly as Stingmon shifted positions to hold Ken in his arms.

Kari blinked and realized suddenly that she could see a lot of something dark that stained where Ken was.

Then Stingmon shot forward, seemingly towards her; but she could tell that he was aiming to reach another location. He passed quickly, the wind raising and blowing around her in his wake. And then he was in the distance, heading towards the trees, and to where Kari realized had been the original meeting place.

Which meant that something must have happened to them.

With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized that she knew what those dark spots had been.

"Nefertimon, something's wrong, turn around, we've got to go make sure Ken's all right!"

Nefertimon swung herself towards away from the tower, not questioning Kari's concern and beating her wings to make her soar towards 'Point A'. The digimon began her flight away, somehow knowing, like Kari, that something had just happened that was not right.

It was in that moment that an air current from behind blew wind past them, the opposite direction of the wind they would have felt.

Kari sharply twisted and froze, a shriek escaping when she saw the enemy that had approached suddenly from behind.

Nefertimon heard and immediately dove.

The Spawn in its flying form shot forward, barely missing Nefertimon. Kari ducked her head down as it darted over her, instinctively curling her torso forward and using her back as a shield to protect Patamon.

Nefertimon then banked to the left, preparing to attack back. But at that moment, the blasts from the ground began again, this time coming from many different locations from below.

At once, Kari took a deep breath and steeled herself.

"Nefertimon, I'll attack, you evade!" she shouted, aware that by doing so she would let Nefertimon focus on keeping them alive.

"All right!"

It was difficult to see this Spawn, Kari realized as she searched above for it. But she had to think of where it had just been, where it was about to go, and somehow track it. Yet... she _could_ track it...

She looked up, held up a hand, aimed using her intuition, and focused.

The light from her attack lit up the sky above, clearly outlining the form of the Spawn that had turned and was bearing down upon them. It made contact, going through and destroying the enemy as it had for the others.

In that moment, she realized that the sensation of musty, humid mist was streaming past her, feeling both warm in a discomforting manner, and chilling to the rest of mind and body. She recognized it instantly, and sharply turned her head to look around. There was a pounding in the air and a slight wind blowing into her face, but with the darkness and the sounds of inhuman shrieks and twisted roars, it gave off the feeling of something impending.

Kari closed her eyes briefly to let her senses reach out, feeling the motions of Nefertimon dodging, though not nearly as urgently as before. The darkness was around her, but then where –

She gasped as she felt the presences of the Spawn in the air.

They were completely surrounded, in every direction except for below.

"... Nefertimon..." her voice came out as a small whimper.

While they had been attacked by that single Spawn, apparently the others had used that time to circle around them, creating no escape path and making Nefertimon their target.

_This is bad, this is bad, the Spawn are smarter than we thought, this is really bad, we're in huge trouble, can't give up... don't give up..._

Kari, in desperation, held her hand out again and focusing, began aiming it anywhere she felt any dark presence. Nefertimon jerked forward beneath her, but she somehow managed to keep her arm raised, pointing at something that she could barely see.

The attack shot from her hand, just as a blast from below forced Nefertimon to flip sideways. However, this time more prepared, Kari managed to hold on, all the while hearing the searing noise of her own attack destroying an enemy.

The heat of the blast from below came quickly as it passed by, then faded. Kari distantly heard Nefertimon shout "Rosetta Stone!", aiming down below; knowing the time it took for her to prepare her own counters, Kari snaked her arm around Nefertimon's headdress to keep her grip and set up her attack.

A few bursts of light and the withering of the same number of enemies later, Kari realized that something was very off about their current situation.

The surrounding Spawn in the air were not directly attacking them. Only the continued blasts from the enemies below kept Nefertimon dodging in all directions, and the Spawn around them were slowly weaving together around them, closer and closer.

Everything seemed wrong about it. Kari half expected for each enemy to fire an attack in unison, but they were simply flying about, as if they were biding their time or waiting for something.

She narrowed her eyes in frustration. Silently, she raised her arm again, focusing her energy and aiming in a random direction. The light shot from her hand, completely obliterating one of the Spawn above, illuminating the others around it briefly. Then it had withered away, and the hole in the formation of enemies had been covered and vanished as the Spawn wove themselves tighter in the air.

Something was nagging at her mind. She knew that something was not right about the situation, yet she had reason to worry even more.

She glanced around, vaguely noticing that she could no longer see stars above her. She could make out the shapes of enemies around them, now as she was able to discern them better even while riding Nefertimon in the middle of evasive maneuvers. She caught a glimpse of something that briefly caught her attention, lost sight of it, and then...

Felt the darkness around her suddenly thicken.

She inhaled sharply in shock, then coughed as the darkness choked her and hurt her throat. As she gasped, Patamon gasped and began pointing. "They're – they're – they're - " he squeaked.

Kari followed the gaze of his scared blue eyes and only because of the visible energy around it, saw why Patamon was reacting.

A few Spawn in the air were coming together, as though they were separate clouds of darkness combining to form a single entity. The darkness around them felt distinctively heavy, as though it was giving the new creature power.

Kari suddenly received a sense of foreboding and doom.

She thrust her hand out towards it just as completed its transition.

Light streamed from her at the new resulting figure, striking it in the form of some sort of large beam. She saw that this new figure resembled that an actual dragon, though one with extremely long wings and features much more fierce and demonic than any normal dragon like creature she knew of should have... and it had no color. It was simply a black shadow in the face of her attack, surrounded by smoky tendrils of tangible darkness

And in terms of the attack itself...

_This is new... but I keep having to focus..._

Kari felt her attack gradually increase in power, pushing its intensity upon the hapless creature that was writhing in the air, under assault from her. Its strange, high pitched roar brought a chill to her heart, as it sat there suffering as she attacked it back.

Then the creature shot upwards, flipping upside down and letting out its own counter – a stream of dark energy that warped and twisted the very space around it.

Nefertimon dove down to evade it, then contorted her body slightly to dodge an incoming blast from below. She rolled over in the air. "Kari, now, together! Cat's Eye Beam!"

Kari focused her energy at the same time, trusting herself to briefly let go of Nefertimon to let loose the same type of beam she had managed to shoot forth before.

Combined, the attacks managed to do something to the creature. Kari's stream of light froze it where it was, and it let out its unique cry that sounded like a mixture of that low roar and dozens of shrieks as it writhed again in midair. Nefertimon's beam then hit it directly.

Her attack bounced away. A slight lit indentation marked exactly where the contact had been made, but otherwise the creature seemed unaffected.

As Kari's light faded, she was suddenly aware of more blasts coming from below. Nefertimon noticed in time, but was forced to shoot forward towards the dark creature to evade it.

"Nefertimon, why - " Kari began, but Nefertimon's swerve to the side stopped the question. However, the digimon seemed to understand the unspoken.

_Why are my attacks working, and why aren't Nefertimon's stronger? She's a digimon! So what does this mean?!_

"I know what you're thinking," Nefertimon said, sounding apologetic. "And... my answer is that I really don't know..."

In the slight lull in the dodging and attacking, Patamon's shout brought their attention to something else. "It's doing something!"

The creature was moving its claws quickly in a strange pattern, as though it was holding a ball of energy and was quickly tossing it back and forth from claw to claw. It took a moment for Kari to realize that that was exactly what it was doing; it was making some sort of attack, and strengthening it...

She knew she had to stop it immediately. She held out her hand again and focused energy again, trying to force as much power into it as possible. She drew from everywhere within her, to give it the strength it needed to stop the creature.

"Hyaaaaa!"

It was a humongous beam this time, of light and energy combined that lasted for only a few secondsss. Kari could feel the warmth and defense that it gave her, but had to hold her arm as steady as she could so sustain the attack and keep it steady for its short duration.

Her attack hit the flying creature, causing it to fade with one last roar, but its attack had already formed, a pulsating orb of crackling lightning mixed with a tangible darkness that circled throughout it.

And from where Nefertimon was, unable to maneuver out of her position by the continued blasts from below and the transformed Spawn still surrounding them, they could not escape from it.

Then she finally saw it; the location of the blasts and where they were coming, the seeming mesh of a cage that the Spawn had formed around her, Nefertimon, and Patamon, where the orb was...

She realized it too late.

_It's a trap!_

The orb began flashing, and a sudden protective instinct suddenly pushed her to a single action.

"Patamon, back to A!" she shouted, literally tossing the digimon as hard as she could downwards in the opposite direction of the orb. He squealed in shock as he tumbled through the air, but Kari knew it was not a moment too soon. She could only hope he, with his small size, could escape.

Then the orb exploded.

The resulting blast hit Nefertimon, and Kari as well.

She felt the force of the attack encompass her; she could see nothing, only feel the pain as her world imploded, becoming but a bright, burning light that engulfed her entire being. She was barely aware of falling, falling away from Nefertimon, but the hot searing impact of the attack had stolen all her attention. All she could see and feel was the pain and light, as air escaped her throat in a high pitched scream.

If it was suffering, to fall burning to death, then what was death? And what would happen to the others, to TK –

She was suddenly aware of a large being hovering over her, exuding an aura of repulsive happiness and evil intent. It was closing in on her, gurgling as it crawled forth, and she felt a weight smothering her body and pushing her down.

"Get off me!" she cried, struggling.

Without warning, light exploded around her again, but this light was warm and comforting. The weight suddenly lifted; she vaguely heard an inhuman shriek as something flew away from her.

The light faded. At once, Kari managed to open her eyes, realizing that she was lying crumpled in the middle of a small impact crater. Automatically, she wondered how she had survived, as her last memory had been falling from Nefertimon after an attack.

Her body aching, she sat up, bringing herself back to reality. The light had given her energy, and, as she supposed, protected her from the worst of the damage, but she had landed in the middle of the field, separated from everyone her partner, and far away from anyone else.

She looked up. It had been a Spawn that had attacked her while she lay helpless on the ground earlier. It gave a low moan as others of its kind gathered around it to charge at her.

It was then that she suddenly knew exactly how TK had felt throughout much of the previous day every since his disappearance into the Dark Ocean.

She could not focus on bringing her light energy out for offense. The Spawn were too close this time, it took a slight lag to prepare the attack, and she felt as though she had no energy left.

Instead, her hand went straight for her D3, and she held it up while trying to force her energy out, knowing her life depended on it.

The Spawn pounced.

It was only with the help of the shield she had created purely from instinct that the Spawn were repelled. She found herself aiming the D3 in random directions, in hopes that she would blast the enemies away from her.

At the same time, she was drained. The attack had forced out much of whatever her light power was into keeping her live, leaving her without the energy to continue pouring out her strength into protecting herself from the Spawn with the same techniques she had been using earlier atop Nefertimon. It was indeed a long lasting battle, and she was left with nothing but her D3 and a weakening shield.

Fear washed over her as the shield flickered and died away. She needed something other than her D3, something that would help her survive.

In a desperate effort, she hit the nearest Spawn with her fist. Her weak attack did almost nothing; the creature only laughed and dove at her. It took a duck and the aim of her D3 to fend it off; it snarled and backed away cautiously.

Glancing around her, Kari realized that she was surrounded. The many Spawn had created a circle around her, as though not sure of the best way to attack. They shuffled among themselves, their low voices echoing about the crowd.

She tried to draw on the energy that had served her ever since the attempt on the warp earlier, and throughout the battle. Though still present, she found it harder to pull it forth into a more manifested form for protection. All she could do was let her body pulse softly with the dim glow of light.

The Spawn were gurgling again, and Kari knew they were preparing to attack at once. She had no escape, she could not see anyone nearby, and she had no idea what had happened to Nefertimon after being hit by the attack. All she knew was that Nefertimon was still alive, as she could feel that.

She looked about madly for something. TK had had that hand axe, now she needed something as well, if she hoped to somehow make it away to safety...

A burnt piece of heavy rope, the remnants of the many pennants that had been flying about the tower area, caught her eye from the debris on the ground.

Instantly, she was reminded of Ken as the Digimon Emperor.

She grimaced. _Do I have a choice?_

Kari bent down and picked it up. She felt uncomfortable, in her plan to fight with the rope, but it seemed a better idea than being armed with only the D3.

_TK gets a hand axe, and I get a rope. I'm not going to last very long._

It was something though.

As the Spawn came closer, she twirled the rope around her head, before letting it crack down upon the group approaching. She winced at their squeals of pain; it made her feel as though she was an oppressor, or some sort of almost evil being that prided itself in the screams of others.

One duck later, she made herself think pragmatically, forcing herself to simply use the rope for the fact that it acted as a sort of weapon.

With a cry, Kari jumped and lashed out with the rope, somehow managing to repel the Spawn directly before her. She winced at its squeal, but held out her D3 and looked away as her energy channeled into the device and blasted the creature away.

Immediately, she drew her resolve. She would find Nefertimon, and to do that she herself had to fight.

She twirled the rope around, it spinning around her as she ran forward. The Spawn around her drew away, as though afraid to attack yet wanting to come closer. She glared back at them, almost daringly, as she continued twirling the rope and holding out her D3.

One did dare. It was repelled away by the spinning rope, and a quick burst of light from the D3.

Another leaped from behind. She felt it grab onto her shoulders; she automatically tried to pull herself away, turning around sharply. It was still there even as she did so; it refused to let go. In a desperate move, trying to keep it away from her, she took hold of the other end of the rope, formed a loop, and threw it over her shoulders, and pulled on both ends.

The Spawn made a gagging noise. Taking that moment as an opportunity to escape, she pulled both ends even harder for a few moments, then let go of one and spun around. She felt the Spawn's grip slacken, and then it was gone. A half turn told her that it had flown away from her and fallen into another group of its kind.

Right and left, she cracked the rope. Inside, she hated the fact that she was doing it, but she felt that it was justified seeing as that it was in self defense. The Spawn were indeed after her, and she had no choice but to fight back.

As she was twirling the rope again, still surrounded by the multitudes of Spawn and ready to attack them back if she had to, she suddenly realized that in the distance, above the din of fighting and explosions, she could hear a human voice. She struggled to make out exactly what was being said, but as she moved closer, she suddenly realized that she could hear it much more clearly the moment she recognized the voice.

She could recognize it anywhere.

"Damnit, let me go!" Tai screamed, sounding anguished. "Let me go! Kari! Please, don't be dead! Hold on! I'm coming! Let go of me! Kari!"

Her eyes widened. Her legs began moving on their own, pushing her forward towards where she had heard her brother shouting for her. The enemies in her way were knocked away by her continued motions with the rope, and those that refused to move were blasted instead by her D3. She refused to keep him waiting; she and Nefertimon had after all been hit directly by the blast earlier.

She did not know how she managed to force her way through the masses coming at her from all sides. She simply felt an energy burning around her as she tried to come closer to her brother...

A gap in enemies before her and the flash of blue and brown suddenly caught her attention. Kari sped up, going forward, and suddenly she saw.

She saw Tai surrounded by the Spawn. They had all managed to grip onto his body, but somehow the boy was resisting, fighting against them. He strained as they pushed him down, as he continued shouting out, now with pain mixed into his earlier cries.

But then, one Spawn jumped forward, gradually changing it forms, its limbs morphing into a curved blades as it brought one back to strike –

"NO!"

Kari forced her remaining energy into something as powerful as she could muster, and light exploded outwards from her, blossoming in a giant wave of cleansing force.

She heard the Spawn screaming, their material bodies withering away to nothing in the onslaught. The light covered everything else, filling her sight with nothing but white that was both blinding and powerful. Wind rushed around her, circling in a storm of something clean and pure.

Then it faded, releasing its last bit of energy in the aftermath. Kari was left standing in the center of a very large empty circle, where only moments before there had been multitudes of the enemy.

Except for one prone figure lying in still swirling dust.

Her eyes widened, and she rushed to Tai's side.

_Please still be alive!_

She knelt down and gently turned him over. To her great relief, the only sign of his near death was a rip in his shirt, lightly decorated in blood from the cut across his chest.

But it was a little deeper than a simple shallow cut either. It was not fatal, but not harmless.

It disturbed her to know what had nearly happened, and that he could have died, but she had managed to save her brother in time.

Tai's eyes fluttered open, as he was still reeling from the shock of everything that had just happened. They widened at the sight of Kari kneeling over him.

"K...Kari..."

She needed no more reason to embrace her brother. He returned it, and they sat for a few moments, holding each other tightly in the center of the battlefield, a quiet moment of peace in the midst of chaos.

"You're alive... I almost thought..."

"It's all right. I'm really here."

"Kari... I can't lose you."

Kari gently released him, glancing slightly at the blooded rip. Tai, having sat up fully, sighed, shaking his head. "That doesn't matter. I... I had to make sure that you were all right... that I hadn't lost you."

Kari lent him a hand, helping him back to his feet. He quietly mumbled as she did so, almost not paying attention to her except for the fact that he gripped her hand so tightly that she knew he was afraid that she would vanish. "I... I can't imagine what Matt's been feeling like throughout everything, ever since yesterday. I feel bad for him... for everything... and at the same time, I'm selfish and only keep thinking, what if this happens to Kari too? But... it just means... I can't lose you... I'm scared out of my mind... of what'll happen..."

He shook his head wearily. "I just can't help it. I'm so stupid... thought everything would be fine until we'd made the army size go down... didn't realize it would come to this... they're stronger... they knew we were coming..."

"They're all from the Dark Ocean."

At her words, Tai's head turned sharply to look at her. She chose not to return his gaze, though she continued holding him in the effort to both support and comfort him.

She sighed. "It all starts with the Dark Ocean. And it's there we need to get to."

The Spawn from further away had recovered from the onslaught of light that Kari had let off earlier, having been less affected than those closest to her. They now crowded around, seeming both wary of the smaller child before them and hungry for the power at the same time.

Tai glanced around at them. He seemed to have also recovered from his near meeting with death, and he instinctively moved closer to Kari, to try and shield her from the danger surrounding them. He gulped and gave her a worried look.

A couple Spawn took that moment to attack. Kari and Tai both shot forward at the same time, Tai with digivice in hand. Kari however, had begun swinging the rope again, and she cracked it over the head of the Spawn closest to her. One more strike with it had the rope wrapping around the Spawn's neck; without quite meaning to, she pulled the rope back.

The Spawn gargled once, and then faded into nothing, with some tendrils of black smoke exploding away from it.

She stared at the spot where it had been standing, and at the rope in her hand. Behind her, she was aware to Tai staring at her in return.

"Is that a rope?" he asked incredulously.

Kari nodded, looking over her shoulder. Tai had moved back to his position of defending her again. "I needed something for a weapon," she answered, hoping it would justify her reason for having it.

He was staring at her in a mixture of shock and amazement. Then he shook his head, eyes still wide. "Never thought I'd see that..." he muttered. "Still, whatever works, works."

She shrugged. "Anyway, let's stick together and keep fighting. We can find you a pole or something; our digivices work wonders too."

Tai laughed darkly. "I figured that part out earlier. But no Kari, you got hurt badly. You should get off the field and get back to Point A."

Kari swung her rope and whacked away a Spawn that had been coming up from behind Tai. She pulled him forward slightly, making sure he was out of her line of attack, before proceeding to beat back the others that had come along with it.

The Spawn having retreated slightly, Kari deftly pinched her brother's shirt and eyed the rip. "I'm kind of thinking the same thing for you."

Tai shook his head, sighing. "I'm not talking you out of this battle, am I?"

"I have to find Gatomon first."

He nodded in understanding. "Yeah. I get it. I need to get back to Greymon too."

Tai held up his digivice, and a great shower of light burst from it, pushing back more of the Spawn coming towards them. Kari blinked in surprise as some of them even withered, just as they had when she had fought back against them with her inner power.

_My brother is so strong..._

She sensed something from behind. She twirled around, letting her momentum swing the rope for her. With one last flick of her wrist, she hit the offending monster coming at her, it falling back with a loud smack.

A few more hits at the others around her gave her some space. Quickly, she darted backwards and hit another a few times that came from her side. Another blast from her D3 forced it away back to the mass of enemies that surrounded her and Tai.

She heard a battle shout, and almost smiled. She turned briefly to check on her brother, and she saw that he had managed to find one of the broken poles that had once been standing with flags, ropes, and other ornaments upon it. He was using it as a sort of poker and club at the same time, as he stabbed away at the enemies with the broken, splintered end, and whacked any other who came towards him.

She backed up so that she could feel Tai's presence close to her, looking about for any sign of a large orange dinosaur or a white catlike figure. Then she spun the rope again, preparing to both attack for and defend her brother as well. She refused to let the Spawn come between her and Tai; she could not let him be further injured, and with her back by his, she would know he was close.

Kari's rope was spinning again, hitting any that came close to her. The Spawn were seemingly afraid to come closer, but she had to wonder why they were not changing forms. They had not failed to do so around Tai, but since she had been separated from Nefertimon, she had not seen a single one attack her in any but their basic form.

One of the bolder Spawn darted in close, managing to make it past the thrashes of the rope. Kari found a shriek escaping her mouth, surprised that this had managed to occur, and fortunately held out her D3 in an automatic response. The creature was blasted back, vanishing and fading away as the familiar black smoke of the darkness circled and wisped away.

"I'm fine, it's gone," she quickly spoke, aware that Tai was likely looking over his shoulder at her in concern.

"Want me to grab another pole for you?" he asked.

"I'm okay, just - " she was suddenly aware of darkness being pooled in around them again. And it was being drawn towards the group of Spawn surrounding from Tai's side of their circle. "Get down Tai!"

She spun and pulled her brother down by the shoulders. It was just in time, as tendrils of darkness began spinning in the air, and even more mist began settling in the area of a large group of Spawn right before them.

A moment later, as the Spawn began acting more as shadows and pooling together as a large black blob-like form, Tai suddenly tensed. "Shit, not again," he muttered under his breath.

"Again?!" she gasped. He had seen it happen already?

He clenched his fist. "I swear, this is like the sixth time. Except those times I was with Greymon, now we don't have any digimon with us. We're in real trouble now."

"I know," Kari breathed. "Otherwise I'd still be with Nefertimon. But I think I can defeat it."

Tai jumped and stared. "What?!"

She was really shocking him often today. Not waiting to explain, she wrapped the end of her rope around her wrist so as not to lose it and to free a hand. She knew she was exhausted, and it was very difficult to pull out the light from within her now, but to stop the Spawn and that new figure, she had no other choice. And she had to protect her brother.

Drawing deeply into herself, she held out a hand, and focused once more.

It was that beam of light that came out, and she held the energy present as she hit the glob that was the figure the Spawn had been trying to form. There was no roar this time, but the shrieks of the Spawn forming a symphony of creatures and their pain.

Before long, the group had withered away, unable to stand the force of the attack.

Kari released her concentration, panting slightly. One half second later, she recognized more residual trails of darkness, of Spawn preparing to strike.

Still with the energy of the attack from before running through her, she let her instincts guide her directly to the next action.

Light blossomed out around her like a dome, covering both her and Tai so that they were within the area field of it. It was a shield, but one that was stronger than the others she had made before. She could feel the warmth and slight breeze that came with the light, as it pushed away the mist and smoke of the darkness. The air suddenly felt calm and pure.

Outside the shield, the Spawn were blown away by its force. Most of the others cowered away from it, as though in pain. Some of the Spawn however, charged forward as though not worried about something such as a shield... or perhaps they were unaware. The moment they touched the light, she shrieked in agony and drew away. One that did try to push forward managed to force half of its body into the light – and then it convulsed briefly, before crumpling and withering away again.

Kari narrowed her eyes. She pushed even more energy into the shield, expanding it outwards, making the Spawn back away even further.

It was as the Spawn had left a large distance between them and the two humans they were assaulting that Kari finally felt herself reach her limit. She gasped, trying to keep the shield, but the light finally gave out, and the shield flickered and died, only vague visual spots and glows showing that it had ever existed.

Close to her, Tai was in absolute awe. "K-Kari... you're amazing..."

She smiled. She had been able to keep her brother safe...

Then she felt fatigue take over.

The attack and the shield must have taken whatever light energy she had had, for now she found herself unable to stand. She collapsed forward onto her knees, struggling to stand. "I... don't think..." she panted, "I can... do that... again..."

Tai instantly knelt down and looping an arm through her arms and around her shoulder. He then stood, supporting Kari with him as he held out the pointed end of the pole defensively. "Just hold onto me, I'll keep you safe," he spoke, a quiet determination emanating through his voice.

His strength seemed to radiate from him, but even Kari could tell that he was exhausted. Somehow, he was able to continue going on; she guessed it was his endurance built up from years of soccer; however, he was also breathing hard, like her, and his shirt was wet from a combination of sweat and, on his chest, blood.

And yet... his energy was almost circling around him, as though there was a fire burning within him that was ready to explode in all its power.

Then she suddenly noticed something. She could see an aura around him, a red one that glowed brightly.

Her eyes widened.

_TK was talking about auras. He was seeing them earlier on, I remember him telling me that, so now I'm seeing them too. Wait, so does that mean he's affected by the darkness like I am?_

She suddenly noticed something more about the red aura. There was an energy about it, one that was surging all over Tai's body, and some of it even... flowing into her, where Tai was holding her up. It seemed as though he was unconsciously giving her extra strength and power to help her.

"Tai, can you see auras?" she blurted out.

He glanced down and stared at her blankly. She could tell he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. "Uh, never mind," she muttered, smiling weakly.

_In any case... I'm not the only one that's getting changed by this 'exposure' to the darkness. TK, and I think even Tai..._

The Spawn had recovered once again, and Tai gripped Kari closer. "Get back!" he barked at them, brandishing the pole threateningly.

However, apparently a teenage boy with a pointed stick, particularly one separated from his partner did not make much of a threat to the Spawn. Now that Kari had been weakened greatly, the enemies charged forward, intent on attacking, and seemingly knowing that there was now much less of a threat in doing so.

At once, he was stabbing the pole forward, skewering a Spawn on its end. As it screeched and faded, he thwacked another over the head and forced the one next to it to the ground with the same blow. Throughout it all, he still supported Kari up as he fought.

But there were too many. Kari knew both she and Tai had been weakened during the battle, and they had been drastically outnumbered from the beginning of it. And now here they were, surrounded and without their partners. The current outlook on the situation was not promising.

However, it was in that moment where Kari heard in the distance a series of booms and explosions, and the shrieks of Spawn as they faded away. The noise was coming closer, and as Tai continued trying to fend off enemies Kari could now visually see that fire was falling from above, raining down upon the Spawn.

It was the fire that made her realize that finally, help had arrived.

"Tai, someone's here!" she called out, suddenly realizing that her voice was also a little stronger and she felt a bit less weakened.

Tai glanced upwards. His eyes widened as he beheld whatever figure it was in the sky that had come. "Flames... I hope that's who I think it is!" He held up his digivice. "Kari, you think you could help me get rid of these few monsters here then?"

Kari nodded. "Yeah."

As she held out her D3, and her brother his digivice, they both let out battle shouts as light flooded out, forcing back the Spawn and even causing a few to shrink and wither away. However, it was as one more beam of light, coming from up above, that the enemies could take it no more. They all let loose one last screech of pain, before vanishing into nothing under the onslaught of light.

The ground before them was clear now. There were still Spawn present, but many had drawn back and were shuffling away, retreating for the time being and preparing to attack again in time.

Kari sighed in relief. They were momentarily safe.

She finally took the moment to look above. She too saw flames, part of a figure that was too far away for her to notice clearly. However, she knew that the aid had come from that figure, which meant that there was only one pair that it could be.

As the flaming figure drew nearer, Kari smiled in knowing. It was Birdramon and Sora.

Tai's face broke out into a relieved grin. "Sora! Birdramon!" Then his expression dropped the moment Birdramon grew closer. "What happened?!" he shouted in horror.

Sora's grimace was evident even from a distance. Her entire right leg had been splinted, held straight by a long, thick stick that had clearly been from the nearby forest, and tied there firmly by various bandages. She was sitting atop one of Birdramon's talons, her other leg bent to lock her sturdily where she was. However, Kari could see that Sora had apparently taken another bandage and used it to fasten herself to Birdramon's leg as a precaution.

"Hurt my knee, already saw Joe, I'll explain later!" she called down. "Greymon's been freaking out about you, Tai! I'm glad I found you!"

"Greymon?"

Sora nodded. "He's a little ways down the field, coming this way."

Tai's eyes lit up. His head automatically twisted, and he strained to see any signs of the familiar digimon coming closer.

Kari did so as well, knowing that with Greymon near by, they would be safer.

At that moment, Sora was squinting her eyes. They widened after a few moments. "Tai, what in the world happened to you?!" she cried out. "On that note, you're supporting Kari. What happened?!"

"Kari saved my life," Tai spoke before Kari could say anything. "It's thanks to her that I'm not any worse. And she's dead tired."

Sora looked sternly at both of them. "I'm thankful that you're both alive," she answered sincerely. "But the two of you should get back to Point A."

"Not without our partners," both Tai and Kari replied hotly at the same time.

It was at that moment that Birdramon butted in, her eyes gazing on a point further away and behind the pair. "Then you should prepare to leave Tai."

Tai blinked. "What?"

"Nova Blast!"

Kari and Tai jumped at the shout and the now easily recognizable shrieks, and both twisted around to see a huge blast of flame from the side made direct contact with the enemies exploding outwards with an incinerating burst of heat and flickering shades of orange and red.

Kari could see that now he was not fighting them directly, even Tai cringed at the screaming noises the Spawn made as they burnt in the attack.

However, he recovered much faster than Kari knew she herself would have.

"Greymon!" he hopped back to his feet, waving his arm holding the pole to grab the digimon's attention.

Greymon could not have missed them. He looked incredibly relieved.

"Tai, you're all right!" the digimon shouted, bounding forward and clawing up clumps of earth as he did so. "It's crazy here, you need to stay with me!"

Tai nodded. "I know, I'm sorry about earlier. But I found her all right."

Kari suddenly realized why Tai had been apart from Greymon earlier. Her brother must have leaped off of his partner and run into the mob of Spawn towards where he had seen her and Nefertimon fall.

She stared at him in shock. He seemed to not notice as he turned to her. "Kari, can you stand?"

Kari nodded. "I think so, but why did - "

"All right, let's give it a try."

He gently released her, his hand still on her back in case she fell. Kari wanted to protest about Tai's earlier action, but felt a sudden wave of dizziness swim over her. She stumbled slightly.

_No, you've got to be strong! Tai dove into the enemy to find you, and he could have died! No, he almost did!_

She drew her resolve and stood straight. The field still looked a bit distorted to her eyes, but it was quickly returning to normal. She refused to let weakness show at this point.

With that, she turned and faced Tai, a (hopefully) reassuring smile on her face. "Looks like I can."

Tai sighed in relief. "Great." And he called over towards Greymon. "Greymon, we should stay and help Kari find Nefertimon!"

"No!"

Kari's indignant exclamation must have shocked him. He jumped and sharply looked at her, the expression written all over him.

"You need to get yourself taken care of, and now that you have Greymon you can get back safe. Tai, don't argue," she added as he opened his mouth. "I don't want anything else happening to you too. You need to go and see Joe. Oh, and keep your pole. I'll be fine, I promise."

He moved his mouth soundlessly, as though trying to come back something against her stern words. However, he finally closed it, looking down at the ground.

"Fine," he spoke softly. "But the moment I get this thing checked out, me and Greymon're coming back to help you."

Kari gave sincere laugh. "I knew you would say that. Thank you."

He raised his head and gazed directly into her eyes. "You're my little sister, after all," he gave her a half smile. "What else are big brothers for?"

He said nothing else. He turned he vaulted up onto Greymon's back.

"Sora, look after her!" he shouted. "I'm making a retreat!"

Sora only called back. "Good! Get yourself taken care of!"

Tai nodded, then glanced back at Kari. "Be careful."

She returned the gesture. The focus of Tai's eyes did not leave hers as Greymon began the retreat, and it was only when he was nearly turned around backwards that he finally broke the contact.

Kari took up the rope from the hand where she had been holding the D3, preparing to return to the major fighting of the battle to find her partner. She felt the world tilt again; she purposefully stamped a foot into the ground, mentally steadying herself. Somehow, it worked, but she knew she would need to keep herself upright in order to continue.

From above, Sora shouted down again. "I'm here to look out for you! I'll do what I can to help!"

"If you see anything white, tell me!" Kari called back.

With that, she bent her legs slightly in a ready position, gazing at the enemies before her. They were still quite a distance away, as they had been before, but she was preparing to attack directly. She had to find her partner, and the only way to do so was by fighting.

"I can do this," she muttered to herself.

And with those words, she charged.

It was as though she had a determination that was fueling her. She could not attack with the light within her like before, but that was not keeping her from continuing. Her rope smacked down upon any and all that came near her, as the twirling motion had become almost natural.

Yet in the distance, she could hear another voice. She fought her way towards it, her rope moving and her D3 coming up every few moments to blast an enemy away. She could not tell exactly what it was, yet at the very least, it was a voice, and a voice could lead to something important... anything. It had been a voice that led her to Tai, barely in time, and now it pulled at her.

A few moments later though, she realized exactly what it was that owned that voice.

It was another Spawn, but one that was slightly different from the others around it. It seemed a bit taller, and she could feel the darkness circling it more than others she had encountered. Still, she knew that it could mean something if she could make it closer.

It was not until she managed to create a clear path to it with her D3 that she finally understood its words.

The Spawn shouted in its gurgling tones. "Fight! Bring down the Digidestined! Not much longer now till the boy dies! Power is ours!"

Kari discovered an anger and rage within her like she had never felt before.

She marched straight up to the shouting Spawn and with a strength she never knew she had, picked it up. "Tell me!" she yelled at its face. "Tell me about him!"

It laughed in its guttural tones, with only the barest of words coming out. "Dead by dawn... dead by dawn... then we feast, we gain..."

She dropped it in shock. TK was going to die... he was really going to die... but dawn had not come yet, so there was still time... time was running out...

The Spawn took the opportunity to take a swipe at her. In an automatic movement, Kari jumped back and lashed out with the rope in her hand. Then with her D3, she blasted it away, watching in a strange satisfaction as it vanished away from existence.

She had to tell the others. If they were running out of time, then they had to move on to the second part of the plan immediately. They could not waste any more time trying to battle and defeat the army they were attacking, while they slowly lost energy and became fatigued by it.

Her hand moved to her D-terminal, but another group of Spawn approached. She automatically attacked as they jumped, her rope hitting them all as she ducked and rolled away beneath them. Panting as she returned to her feet, she tried again to reach for the gadget, but she felt a Spawn come up from behind. This time, she wasted no time in managing to whip the rope around its neck, pulling on the other end without concern.

It was almost as though something was lost. She no longer cared... these creatures had been trying to kill her friends, destroy what she held dear, and now they were calling for more death... particularly one that would occur when dawn arrived.

She moved on in her attack towards the next enemy, knowing that unless there was more room around her and less Spawn to worry about, she would be unable to contact the others quickly. She had only two choices, which were to either defeat all the enemies around her, a feat that she realized would be very difficult for her at this point, or find her partner as quickly as possible.

It was then that she noticed a Spawn that had changed its form.

It was in a different shape this time from the others she had seen so far, something a bit more similar to what Agumon normally was like, only taller than herself and much more vicious looking. However, knowing Agumon and his abilities, she could only inference as to what this particular Spawn would do.

It answered her questions by opening its mouth and shooting out a huge burst of fire.

She jumped back out of the way of the attack. Behind her, she heard another shout and a large explosion; Sora and Birdramon were nearby. With those thoughts, she leaped back towards it, her personal safety disregarded.

She successfully sidestepped it as it turned towards her again, swinging her rope around as she did so. It having gained some velocity as she twirled it, it came and hit the Spawn with a loud smacking noise.

Only moments later, the flames had returned.

Kari's eyes widened as the Spawn managed to alight the end of the rope, and fire began traveling up it towards her. She suddenly had no idea what to do, and the rush of battle she had had only moments before vanished.

_What was I thinking?! I don't usually just jump into fights! This isn't good – fight fire with fire._

She had no other choice. If she was to survive, she had to return to her mode of fighting.

She kept her grip on the rope, ignoring the fire that was coming up the rope closer to her. Instead, she swiftly changed directions and circled around the Spawn, watching as it turned along with her. However, the burning rope still stayed surrounding it.

As the Spawn opened its mouth for another burst of fire, and the flames on the rope came too close for her comfort, she gave the rope one last swing upwards before letting go.

The rope still acted as a whip, but this time it was one that was covered with a fiery sheath. It flew and hit the Spawn, but stayed where it was encircling the enemy, wrapping the creature in its burning essence.

The Spawn let out a monstrous roar that momentarily oscillated back into a shriek. Kari took a deep breath as she watched it try to remove the flaming object from its figure. It seemed confused enough that she took her chances and rushed up again, this time kicking it in the side like she had seen Tai do on occasion to trees after bad soccer matches.

Finally, as it lay writhing on the ground, she shouted out and thrust out her D3.

The light that burst from it was weaker than it had been before, but it was enough. The Spawn let out one last shriek of pain and withered to nothing.

Relieved, she then turned her attention to a more immediate matter.

Her eyes gazed forward and down, and she promptly stared at the burnt end of the rope resting at her feet, now roughly two hands long.

_There goes my weapon..._

Feeling a bit of panic rising up within her, Kari picked up and hurled the useless makeshift whip at the closest Spawn, hearing a satisfying thonk noise as it made contact. She now had her only her D3, and without the energy to attack with the light within her, she knew she was extremely vulnerable.

The Spawn were aware of it as well.

_Be like Tai, be like Tai, he could fight with just his D3... but he wasn't out of energy and he almost died anyway... _

Before her thoughts could continue on though, a white blur rushed past and all worries were momentarily forgotten.

Gatomon pounced, easily cleaving the closest Spawn in two with her claws. The creature vanished in an explosion of black smoke. With a swish of her tail, the digimon spun around and gracefully slashed out at another, before jumping up and dispatching more. She fell down to the ground, and vaulted off with one claw to finish off her final target, clearing the immediate danger.

Then she turned and jumped into Kari's expectant, waiting arms.

"You're all right..." the digimon mumbled, burying her head into her partner. "I'm so relieved..."

"Me too," Kari answered. "I wasn't going to leave the field without you with me."

They embraced for a few moments, taking comfort in knowing that both were alive. Kari could tell that Gatomon had been fighting tooth and claw across the field to find her, after having been separated in the attack earlier. She gave Gatomon another reassuring squeeze, trying to tell her in any way that she could that she was there, and they would both make it through the battle.

Then without warning, her D-terminal beeped.

Kari knew without opening it what signal this was. Even as a precaution, she pulled the D-terminal out and briefly glanced at the subject line.

**Part 2 Start. Come to Point A.**

Kari snapped it shut and shoved it back in her pocket. "Gatomon, how do you feel?"

"Like a wall of bricks fell on me?"

Kari grimaced. "That answers that. Don't worry. I'll protect you this time."

She looked up to where Sora and Birdramon were still swooping down, attacking. She waved her arm at them.

As they were a distance from her, Kari knew they would be unable to hear her. The moment Sora looked down, Kari quickly pantomimed out her message, motioning and pointing in the direction of the meeting area.

Sora nodded, a sign that she understood Kari's meaning.

Birdramon swerved around, flew in a straight line from Kari's position towards the edge of the field, and shouted.

"Meteor Shower!"

It was a distant yell, but the meaning behind it was unmistakable.

Fire rained down, falling upon the hapless enemies. They vanished into clouds of black smoke, screaming as the flames engulfed them.

And then as the ground cleared of enemies, forming a sort of clear path up towards the edge of the crater and into the forest, Birdramon swiftly turned again, gliding back. And Sora was shouting as they drew close.

"We'll cover you! Go!"

With that, Kari immediately turned from the tower and ran.

She was exhausted, but having been fighting earlier and there still being explosions around her, she found that it gave her enough adrenaline to continue running. The ground before her was clear of enemies, a welcome sight to her. With only the goal of making it to the forest, off of the battlefield and out of the chaos, she placed all of her concentration upon running.

She had no idea how long it took. All she knew was that the line of trees was coming closer, the wind blowing against her face. She could hear explosions and shrieks behind her, and red flames fanned at the edge of her vision. Her legs were moving on their own now, but it took all her willpower to keep them moving. The trees were larger to her eyes now, and she thought to herself that she just needed to keep going. Her breaths came out rhythmically, but her voice was intermixed in them, gasping and strained.

All she had to do was make it beyond the trees and then it would be over...

The moment she made it past the first line of trees and into the safety of the forest, she finally gave herself the luxury of collapsing on the ground.

Kari took in everything around her for some moments as she lay there panting, thinking of the calm away from the distant yelling and shrieking. The explosions still continued, but she was much farther away now than she had been.

It was peace that was on her mind. The peace of being within the forest's serenity, where the Spawn were not following her towards, the relative silence surrounding her, the looming shadows of the trees as they stood silent and somber on the border of chaos. The ground was moist here beneath her, as opposed to it having been dry and dusty down in the crater closer to the tower; and for once the stench of that darkness that emanated from the tower was faint.

She found her hand gently releasing the hold on Gatomon and burying itself in the soil. Her fingers dug in, and she found herself gripping the sweet earth as though it was a lifeline, a slight reminder of a time when they had not needed to fight, when they had already saved the Digiworld and now they rebuilt it, not knowing of the battle and darkness ahead. For a moment, she was not lying on the edge of a battlefield, but she was on a grassy hill with everyone, as they sat happy and peaceful, TK's laughter echoing next to her.

In the next moment, she was herself again, reality forcing her to awaken from the dream.

She sat up, then paused slightly as she realized that Gatomon had pulled herself out of her grip. The digimon was sitting on the ground, pawing at it slightly and staring up into the sky. She suddenly knew that Gatomon was thinking the same things as she was.

Quietly, Kari turned back towards the battlefield. She knew that Sora and Birdramon had been covering their escape, but she could not see them close by.

A pang of worry struck through her. She stood and gazed out over the field, the sudden horrible thought that perhaps something had happened to them during the last few intense minutes rising up in her mind.

Then she saw a familiar red flamed plume soaring in the air distantly, still shooting out meteors of fire and attacking the enemies in that area, both on the ground and in the air.

_They didn't follow..._

The realization of what had just happened finally sunk in. Kari shot to her feet and stared out at Birdramon's figure, suddenly wanting to charge back into the battle if only to help them.

"Gatomon, they didn't follow us back here!" she exclaimed in worry, turning to the digimon still on the ground.

Gatomon sat up in urgency. "Why?!" she cried out, her eyes mirroring what Kari knew she felt as well. "Are – are they – we need to figure out - "

Before she could continue, as they both lost their thoughts of reason and prepared to return to battle, another voice cut in.

"Kari? Gatomon? Is that you guys?"

It was Cody and Armadillomon, running through the undergrowth looking tired and concerned. She noticed there were a couple small bandages on Cody's face, which meant he must have had at least a few minor cuts.

Cody stopped, leaning over and panting. Armadillomon looked a little better off, and while Cody took the time to recompose himself, the digimon looked up at Kari and Gatomon. "You guys look like you're all right! Are you?"

Kari and Gatomon shared a glance. "I'm so tired, I want to collapse into a bed and not wake up until next week," Gatomon proclaimed, a slight tinge of irony in her voice. Kari knew it was the truth. She herself could only concur with the digimon's statement.

"Other than that, we're all right, I think," she continued off of Gatomon's statement.

Cody finally stood up, the look in his eyes brightening slightly. "Good," he breathed. "You're the last ones here, we were getting worried that something happened."

"The last ones? But..." Kari twisted her body to look out into the sky over the field again. She could clearly see Birdramon's flying form soaring and still attacking. "But what about Sora and Birdramon? They're still out there!"

Cody responded by grabbing Kari's hand. "They're not coming, they're staying out there. Besides, they were here earlier. Come on, you need to get over to Point A now! We need you!"

She stared for a moment, not quite comprehending the sudden change in subject. Her mind too sluggish to think any more, she only gazed ahead blankly as Cody grabbed out his D3.

"We're flying back, it's faster that way," the boy explained. "Let's do this quickly!"

Armadillomon nodded.

"Armadillomon armor digivolve to... Digmon, the Drill of Knowledge!"

Cody then hastily ran around Kari and began pushing her towards his partner.

Kari finally pulled her senses together. "All right, I'm going," she announced, giving Cody a weary smile to relieve him of his worries. She realized that he looked very concerned for her current state.

"It's okay, we've got something to help you," he spoke.

Digmon lowered himself down to ease Kari's path onto his back. "Yeah, or at least we think it's gonna help," he continued. "Patamon wants to see you, by the way."

Those words sparked some more awareness into her head. "So he made it back all right?" she asked eagerly, climbing atop Digmon. Behind her, Gatomon pounced up as well.

"Yeah. Tai and Greymon're here too."

With that, Digmon straightened up. Kari blinked when she realized that Cody was not coming with them.

Cody noticed her reaction. "I'm checking on the field from here," he answered, giving her a serious look. "I also really need to watch out for the others still out there."

Gatomon choked, and Kari's eyes widened. "Others still - "

"Hang on!" Digmon jumped up into the air.

They sped away, Kari shrieking in shock, watching Cody's small figure disappear into the distance. Digmon was pushing himself, she realized, trying to deliver her back to the clearing as quickly as possible.

The wind blew in her face, leaves brushing past her and the sound made by Digmon's buzzing wings otherwise filling the silent void with noise. He whipped past trees, dodging and hopping up over a few as he went. Kari knew it was pointless to argue with Digmon about Cody, or ask about what was happening with the others until they reached the clearing. Digmon was placing all his energy into focusing on the path ahead.

It was a much faster ride than it had been atop Nefertimon towards the crater. But then, they had been concentrating more upon stealth and their ability to remain silent as they approached, knowing what was about to come ahead. This time on the way back, the enemies knew they were attacking, and there was no need to hide their presence.

The flight ended almost as quickly as it had begun. Digmon reared up and stopped very suddenly, enough so that Kari and Gatomon had to cling onto his back in order not to fall off. The wind swirling around them, Digmon lowered himself to the ground and as his feet touched the soil, he let the top of him crouch down further to aid in Kari and Gatomon's disembarking.

"We're here," he said tersely.

Kari took no time to wait. As she dismounted Digmon, hopping down to the ground with Gatomon in tow, she could now see the shapes of humans and small, obviously Rookie forms of digimon. Most were simply standing, though she could tell there was movement and a tense silence throughout the clearing.

"I've got to get back to Cody. We'll return," Digmon spoke. Kari nodded, and with a rustle of leaves and buzzing of wings, Digmon had vanished back into the darkness of the trees.

Not wasting another moment, she and Gatomon rushed into the clearing, the same one she and the others had been at not too long before.

The first thing she noticed was that Tai had removed his shirt, and Joe was busy wrapping some bandages around his chest. Her brother seemed tired and a little annoyed, but he obediently followed Joe's instructions every time the older boy asked him to change his position slightly. Agumon and Gomamon were standing a little off to the side, both looking exhausted, and Agumon holding Tai's shirt in his claws.

He saw her first.

"Kari! You made it back!" he exclaimed, a relieved smile breaking across his face.

The others reacted immediately.

A slew of "Kari!" and "You're okay!" and other variants rushed towards her, as her presence was registered in the minds of everyone.

Before anyone else could ask her how she was or comment, Patamon shot at her and buried himself in her arms.

"I was so worried, and I couldn't do anything!" he practically sobbed. "I'm so sorry! I saw you fall and Nefertimon had already turned back to Gatomon on the way down, and then all those Spawn things in the air started flying around and I had to get out of there, and you'd told me to get back here, so I did, and I left you and Nefertimon there, I'm sorry!"

Kari gave him a hug. "Listen, it's okay, I was worried about you too. I'm glad you made it back all right."

"But I abandoned you!"

At that, Gatomon groaned. "What could you have done?!" she shouted. "Nothing! TK's not exactly here to help you digivolve, stop blaming yourself! We knew the risks, though we never thought it'd get this bad! We're all right, we're here, see? Now quit it with the self pity and think about what you're going to do the moment we get TK back!"

Patamon was so shocked that he stopped crying.

Kari herself was a little surprised at Gatomon's outburst, but understood that it was not completely out of character for her. And besides, what she said was true. "I know you feel bad about the fact that you can't protect TK right now, and you have no idea if he's all right. I can tell you that he's alive, but - "

Her mind flashed back to the battlefield. Her eyes widened.

She found herself shouting over Patamon's head. "What's the battle plan right now? We've got to hurry!"

The others paused in slight shock for a moment. Davis took that moment to shrug helplessly. "We still need Cody to get here."

Kari began shaking a little. "Please tell me he'll be back soon, we don't have much time."

Everyone was staring at her in a mixture of understanding and some surprise.

At that moment, a buzzing noise suddenly grew louder in volume, and then Digmon burst into the clearing with Cody. "We're back!" the digimon shouted, the wind from his flight finally catching up to him and blowing leaves around the area.

Cody hopped down, looking grim. "Everyone's doing all right," he reported, seeming far too forlorn for his announcement.

It was Davis who stepped forward, his face worried. "And Ken?"

"Him too. Well, at least Stingmon..."

Davis swore and punched a nearby tree in frustration. "The idiot..." he muttered, Veemon coming up behind him to try and comfort him.

As Digmon reverted back to Armadillomon and Davis let himself plop down onto the ground dejectedly, Kari glanced at the assembled group. Everyone looked exhausted, and all the digimon that had earlier digivolved had reverted back to their Rookie forms. However, there were fewer pairs of digimon and human partners than she knew there were in the group. There should have been eleven. Performing a quick headcount, she saw that there were only seven.

A sinking feeling in her stomach, she turned towards Izzy, who was closest. She noticed that for some reason, he was now wearing a hooded sweatshirt that was too large for him, which she recognized as Joe's. "We're missing people. Where're Ken, Stingmon, Yolei, Aquilamon, Mimi, and Togemon?"

Izzy sighed and shook his head slightly. "They were here earlier, but they left to continue fighting, because their status is worse off than ours right now and we're moving on to the second part of the assault. Sora and Birdramon too."

Kari blinked, feeling relief at knowing that the missing were at least still alive, and briefly made eye contact with Gatomon still in her arms.

In response to that, Tai turned his head slightly as Joe finished binding his chest. "They're mostly fine apparently. But they're going Ultimate because the enemy's gotten stronger." Joe stood and faced the younger boy, nodding. Tai nodded back. "Thanks Joe."

"You've got to be careful Tai. This is the sort of thing that's happening throughout the battle."

Tai shrugged as Agumon came forward to return the shirt.

Joe only glared, watching as Tai took it and began putting it back on. "You know that Ken almost got his left arm completely sliced off right? He left before you got here, and he insisted on going back in, he and Stingmon left before we could stop them. He'll need to go to the emergency room after this battle if he wants to keep his arm. Plus, Sora's got her knee dislocated, Yolei's got burns on her back, and Mimi has a head injury. And it's not like the rest of us are unscathed either."

At that, he abruptly turned and pointedly looked at Izzy.

Tentomon winced, and Izzy coughed.

Tai sighed dejectedly, gingerly poking the bandages that could be seen through the rip on his shirt. "I know that. You should check over Kari too then, you know that she got hit and fell from pretty high up."

Joe automatically turned on his heel and strode purposefully towards Kari.

Kari on the other hand suddenly remembered her great concern for Ken, recalling seeing him and Stingmon retreat.

"Ken! How was he?! Why did he insist on leaving - " she found herself speaking.

"He," Joe interjected, looking irritated but still being gentle as he placed his hands on Kari's head, "is an idiot. A genius idiot with a stubborn streak. I'm blaming Davis for his behavior."

Kari automatically looked around the circle, and managed to find Davis just in time to catch his indignant expression, but the boy in question otherwise said nothing. He looked equally worried and haggard, it having been his best friend who had been so badly injured.

Joe continued on, ranting as he examined Kari's head and other areas of concern. "So those monster things decide that they're going to reveal their true forms and attack with everything they've got, and the flying ones obviously go after Stingmon, which is bad since Garurumon can't back him up from the ground, and then Stingmon gets injured, and Ken stupidly decides to protect Stingmon's wing from injury as well so they can still fight, which of course ends badly, it was just a good thing that I'd already gotten off the field to treat Izzy when Ken came – that doesn't hurt, right Kari? Anyway, I've never fancied myself as some sort of army surgeon, I'm not even in high school yet, I guess it's just a good thing I know how to suture stuff, had to make Ken take the pain meds, and he'll be nauseous later, he spends like ten minutes sitting like a good boy and then just hops on Stingmon and takes off, I knew I should have just tied him up the first time he said he wanted to go back in, damnit, why didn't he just pass out, now he's going to be an extra idiotic genius and probably get himself killed, there was just so much blood earlier, I..."

He took a deep breath. Gomamon took that moment to crawl up to him.

"Joe, calm down. You're stressed."

"Of course I'm stressed!" Joe shrieked, flinging his arms up into the air.

The younger members of the group were now staring at Joe, as they had never before seen him lose his demeanor quite like he was at the moment. The older ones however remembered clearly how often Joe had used to act some years before in the face of certain crises. It was almost nostalgic, but at a very inappropriate time.

Joe finally released Kari. He had taken a few calming breaths and rubbed his temples, but slowly his control returned. He looked over at her as she met his eyes questioningly. "You'll be fine Kari. There's nothing serious that you need to worry about. Some scrapes and you'll probably have some pretty disgusting bruises tomorrow though," he answered, the side of his mouth turning upwards. "I'm actually really relieved, I was afraid you might have gotten a concussion or something."

Then he twisted slightly and began fishing in his pocket. Kari raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as he pulled out an energy bar.

"Here, you should eat this," he proffered it to her.

She glanced down at Patamon, whom she was still holding. She was slightly confused... as Joe was looking at her and giving the food to whom?

Patamon only nodded in understanding. "Yeah, it's for you Kari." He gently pulled himself away from her and into the air, where he landed again down next to Gatomon.

Kari sighed, then took the bar from Joe, giving him a questioning look. "Thanks, but wouldn't Gatomon need it more?"

Joe was already reaching into his pocket. "She does need one too," he explained, coming up with another energy bar. "But you need to eat too." He knelt down and gave it directly to Gatomon.

Kari stood there and stared at the bar in her hand.

Her confusion must have shown on her face, because Joe grimaced slightly and Tai answered for him. "Patamon and I kinda told him about your powers with light," her brother said sheepishly. "He figures that you'd be ready to pass out by now, so we should treat you like a digimon and give you food."

She shrugged and began tearing open the wrapper. "Thank you," she answered, smiling and taking a bite. "I really appreciate the thought."

Gatomon had already sliced the wrapper open and was gobbling the food down. She managed to finish it quickly, pausing for a few moments as she let it settle. "Oh, I feel better," she exclaimed.

Kari on the other hand could not eat nearly as quickly as Gatomon could, but even she did not take the time to enjoy the taste. It was, after all, just some food to help her regain some energy. As she chewed, she took the few moments to glance around at everyone, taking in each person individually. She was beginning to become worried about them, now having heard some stories about the well being of the others.

She knew perfectly well of Tai, who was now shifting in place next to Agumon, the bandages beneath his shirt visible through the blood lined rip. Joe seemed haggard, the stress showing on his face as he gazed at her in concern. It was Gomamon next to him that looked stranger, an almost uncharacteristic seriousness about him. However, he did not seem to have any injuries. And of Cody and Armadillomon, they both seemed far too old, particularly Cody, for their youth.

It was Davis and Matt that caught her attention. Davis was sitting on the ground, curled up with his head to his knees, shaking. Veemon stood next to him, a claw on the boy's shoulder and an equally somber expression portrayed upon his normally cheerful self. She realized why, having now heard more about Ken. And Matt, whom she remembered had been partnered with Ken, was pale and sweating. He gazed blankly out at nothing, not even responding as Gabumon sat and every few moments tapped his leg. It took a moment to realize, in the darkness of the predawn morning, that there was a splotch of blood on the boy's shoulder.

Feeling a little sick as she realized that it was not Matt's, she bit down and swallowed the last of the energy bar.

Now, she decided she had to focus back upon the next part of what was to happen. She crumpled the wrapper in her hand, stuffed it in her pocket, glanced at Izzy, who was still nearby, and nodded. "Okay, I ate it. Now what's the plan?"

Izzy was looking at her intensely. "Do you feel any different?"

Kari had to stop for a moment and study herself. She felt mostly as though she had just eaten an energy bar, which was to say there was not much change at all. However, she knew that this idea had been one that they had hoped would reenergize her.

Not willing to say that nothing had happened, she quietly focused energy to her hand. To her surprise, she found that the light energy was present again, though still weak. But it was growing.

Releasing, she smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I can feel it again," she answered, closing her hand.

Then, purely out of curiosity. "Joe keeps referring to you, Izzy."

Izzy gave her a sideways glance. "It's not nearly as bad as he makes it out to be. He's more reacting to Ken than anything else."

She looked at him pointedly. "What happened to you?"

He pretended to ignore her, until she glared and gave him very gentle nudge on the shoulder.

He rolled his eyes and spoke very softly. "Fine, one of Spawn apparently enjoyed the usage of needles a lot, and so took the form of something that used them extensively. We were on the receiving end of an attack. Tentomon could withstand it since he has an exoskeleton, I wasn't quite as fortunate."

"Your back was synonymous with pincushion," Tentomon chimed in quietly. "And those needles weren't small. I think you humans call then senbon?"

Kari's eyes widened in horror. "Senbon?!"

Izzy smacked his forehead. "This conversation is over. And this is why I'm not telling anyone else."

She found herself staring at him. So that was why he was wearing Joe's sweatshirt, to cover up his injuries and keep others from staring at a shirt with pinpricked holes strewn across it.

Hearing Izzy's account of what had happened, Kari suddenly began thinking of all the injuries that the others had received. She had seen Sora earlier, and Ken as he and Stingmon had fled the battle... and Yolei had been burnt by the attacks. So that was what that scream had been earlier... and Aquilamon had been responsive and flown Yolei straight out. Then there was Tai, Mimi, Izzy...

She was slowly beginning to realize something. She had escaped relatively unscathed compared with others, and it seemed that everyone had been fighting different Spawn that had been trying very hard to kill them. And the ones around her...

It had felt like they wanted to eat her, but now looking back on her experience, she could see that that had not been their intention. It was as though they had been trying to weaken her, but not kill. It was a worrying feeling.

Were they targeting her for some other reason?

Izzy gave her a determined, hard look. "Anyway, listen, most of the forces here have been drawn to outside the tower. The portal should be somewhere inside." He glanced over at the tall forbidding structure for a moment, before looking back at her with that same glint in his eyes. "Kari, I already talked to Tai, and I'm sorry you have to do this. Choose two sets of partners and at the best moment, get to the interior of the tower. We'll keep everything under control from out here."

Tai was looking at her too, the grieving, haunted expression in his eyes telling her how difficult it was to let her do this. She knew he had witnessed the major attack and her fall, and he did not want to send her into the tower.

She herself was surprised at the decision. "I'll do it," she said, "but why me?"

"Light."

It was Davis who spoke, looking equally saddened and somber.

Her mind suddenly shot back to the conversation she had had with him earlier. And then the energy bar.

Instantly she understood.

The ones wielding darkness were after her, but she also held the greatest weapon to counter them. Flashes of the battle popped up, from her first attacks on Nefertimon's back, to the fall, Tai's rescue, her own strength as she fought...

She nodded slowly. "I understand."

With that, all those present quickly separated into human and digimon partner, standing still like soldiers at attention. They seemed solemn and serious, as though they knew what was to come.

Kari thought quickly. Her mind flashed back to the one Spawn as it shouted out, as she had lifted it into the air with anger and demanded to know about what was happening to TK. The sky was still dark, but she could feel that dawn was coming soon. There was not much time left.

She glanced around the group, and made her choices.

She knew that was taking Matt and Gabumon. Along with being among the strongest of fighters in the group and still being in fairly good shape despite the enormity of the battle, Matt was TK's brother. He would want to be the one to see TK and fight to the death for him. It simply felt right.

As for the other person...

Kari walked up to Tai. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry for letting you down out there, for getting hit and everything..."

He smiled gently, and pulled her into a tight hug. "What are you talking about?" he answered in a muffled, breaking voice. "You're alive. And you freaking saved my life too. How are you letting me down?"

It took her a moment to realize that he was crying.

"Tai?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to come in with me?"

"I'm your big brother, do I need to answer that?"

She gave a small laugh, squeezing him a little. "Thank you."

Quietly, they released each other, Tai smiling slightly but looking away so as not to reveal to the others some of the tears on his face. Kari only inwardly laughed, knowing her brother for his own traits.

Then she quietly glanced around until she found Matt and Gabumon, who had both been silent throughout the entire exchange since she had arrived. Solemnly, she marched up towards him and made eye contact.

He looked pale and drawn, his expression difficult to interpret. She saw many things in him as she gazed; seriousness, worrying, exhaustion, somberness, determination, grief, love, understanding, sadness, more that she could not continue to name. But she knew why. She recalled how protective he had been of his younger brother only some years before, and she had heard that that trait had been one of his more defining features earlier before she had joined them. If he had been that way then, what he felt now was just as strong if not worse.

Briefly, she wondered if that cry the Spawn had been shouting, the one that had brought anger to her when she heard the mention of TK's death, had been repeated across the battlefield.

"You want to come," she spoke. It was a statement, not a question.

Matt nodded, silent. His blue eyes practically pierced her with intensity and emotion.

She nodded back. "Then come with me too."

He closed his eyes slowly, a sense of preparedness coming over him. "Thank you," he breathed.

She smiled kindly at him. She understood what it meant for him, how he needed to be able to see his brother directly and face him, and know that everything would be all right.

"Wait!" Cody shouted, his green eyes blazing. "Let me and Armadillomon go with you too!"

Kari looked at Cody, who seemed to be pleading. She knew that he and TK had always had an interesting relationship, especially after they had become partners for DNA Digievolution. Cody had a right to go inside with her, but...

At the same time, she had already chosen whom she wanted to go inside with. And there was the fact that Cody was younger, still had so many more things to experience, and that she did not know what lay inside of the tower... and what would TK say if Cody got hurt? Besides, Cody was in essence, as the youngest member, also the one to reach out to the others who would join their ranks... as TK and Kari had, after everything that had occurred in the first adventure.

"Cody," she kneeled down, for the first time seeing Cody not as just another member of the group, but as someone with the potential for more. "I know you want to see TK and make sure he's all right. He's your DNA digivolving partner, after all. But what would he say if you got hurt? And plus... you're the legacy. In a few years time, if certain things come to pass, you'll probably be the one leading a newer group around as the most experienced member. Like TK's been doing for us."

Cody paused slightly, before arching one eyebrow up at Kari. "I know you're trying to protect me. I'm a member for the group too, you know, I have a right to fight for my partner!"

"I know. But it's also important that you help make sure other people, including yourself, stay _alive_."

Cody stared at her.

Kari only smiled sadly. "If everything goes wrong, I want you to be the one who warns Gennai, and gets everyone prepared. And make sure that everyone else gets out okay too. Joe can't do everything by himself."

Before he could say anything else, she gently embraced him and quickly turned. Her decision had been made, and she was ready.

She immediately changed the subject as she turned to the others. "How long until dawn?"

Kari saw that Matt's eyes had widened. So her conjecture about him had been right. Beside him, Gabumon looked up fearfully and gently clasped the boy's hand. She noticed that he squeezed back.

They all looked at each other briefly. It was Veemon who answered. "Can't really tell, but it's gonna be soon," he said, smiling in an attempt to be helpful.

Davis only looked a little puzzled. "Is dawn important?"

To Kari's surprise, it was Matt who broke first. His eyes narrowed as he glared around the group. "I don't know if anyone else heard this," he began, glancing at Kari, "though I guess Kari at least did, but there were some Spawn shouting it out on the battlefield. If we don't get to the Dark Ocean before dawn, TK's gonna die."

Everyone was shocked into silence. Patamon involuntarily squealed and began shaking, to which Kari knelt down gave him a reassuring squeeze.

Tai recovered first. He looked around at everyone, and seeing their states, moved to action. "Everyone digivolve now! We're moving out! Tower group, be ready, others escort! Go!"

They shook themselves out of their stupor and prepared. Each human pulled out a digivice.

"Veemon digivolve to... Exveemon!"

"Gomamon digivolve to... Ikkakumon!"

"Gabumon digivolve to... Garurumon!"

"Armadillomon digivolve to... Ankylomon!"

"Tentomon digivolve to... Kabuterimon!"

"Agumon digivolve to... Greymon!"

"Gatomon armor digivolve to... Nefertimon, the Angel of Light!"

Kari vaulted up onto Nefertimon effortlessly, then glanced down as Patamon jumped up and into her waiting arms. She squeezed her legs a little to make sure she was firmly on and in no danger of falling.

It took only a few moments for the others to mount their partners, and circle around in readiness to return to the battle.

Tai, retaking his leader role, looked at everyone with a determined eye. He turned to Kari and Matt, both atop Nefertimon and Garurumon respectively, making eye contact. They all nodded in reply and mutual understanding of what was to come.

Then he turned back. "All right. There're huge entrances into the tower, and since we're up against an army, we're charging. You guys cover us. Status now?"

Davis spoke for them. He saluted. "All ready for escort."

Kari glanced about at the group prepared for the next stage of the assault. Cody with Ankylomon, Joe on Ikkakumon, Izzy on Kabuterimon, and Davis on Exveemon were all there, watching her as she sat atop a newly digivolved Nefertimon again. Both Matt and Tai, with their respective digivolved partners, were with her, nodding as they knew how the plan was about to proceed.

She realized that they were waiting for her signal.

She closed her eyes briefly, taking a couple of deep breaths. Quietly, she steeled herself inside in preparation.

And she looked up, feeling ready to meet the conflict.

"Let's go."


	14. Ritual

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. Nor Dragomon or Daemon or the Dark Ocean. I own the creepy Spawn. And I should really, really read HP Lovecraft. And any similarities to Silent Hill are purely coincidental.

A/N: ... so yeah, it's been over two years since I updated this. Yes, I've still been working on it gradually, usually in small sections and scenes. Due to interest in other fandoms, ideas of original fiction, college, and the fact that I became a very active MMO player, kinda drew my attention away... eh heh heh. I went back and read some of the first few chapters - first of all, it's been five years since I started this, and I feel that I am a very different writer now than I was then. In some aspects I feel I'm better, but in others worse; I blame this on the fact that I'm majoring in something very much not-writing oriented. I also have to admit, I was kind of depressed in high school, and I've changed greatly since then; if anything, the only bad part is that it became really, really difficult for me to write emotionally heavy stuff. Which this chapter is. I hope I still conveyed it well.

Anyway, yes I'm still planning to one day finish this, no I have no idea when. It was just the last week or so when I realized that I had written enough in this chapter to kind of add transitions between things and finish everything, so I spent my time doing so. Story-wise... well... this is the chapter that inspired the entire story. The very last scene of the chapter. This is also the chapter that really makes it clear why I titled this story what I did. I can't believe I procrastinated so much on writing this. I'm also worried that it's borderline R. I didn't exactly hold back. I also suggest looking up an image of Dragomon, then adding lots of evil darkness to it and making it twenty feet tall.

And don't worry about what happens, there's still four chapters to go. :P

* * *

_**Ritual**_

TK shivered. He felt isolated, being alone aside from one digimon, and not knowing what would happen next aside from something that he had no desire to think about. All he had was a single loophole to Daemon's words, a last hope that might work, but might even then still lead to one eventual fate. As a more elderly digimon, Jigomon had retired earlier to rest, leaving TK to his thoughts as dawn grew nearer.

His shoulder was aching, a sharpness jabbing through it every time he moved his upper body. He had long since pulled his shirt back on, choosing decency and warmth over a few seconds of pain, though he knew that in a matter of hours, unless some miracle occurred, it would no longer matter.

The prison was still dark, with its distinctive smell of seawater drifting through the air. He had retreated from his position close to the bars since Jigomon had left to rest, and now he sat in the corner of the small cell with his back against the wall, the metal cuff sitting not quite so innocently around his neck only intensifying the knowledge that he was not free.

He felt a chill run through his body, and instinctively he brought his knees to his chest, wrapping his right arm around it while leaving his left to lay limp. The air itself stood still, but the gradual movement of the corrupt darkness brought more change to the otherwise stagnant sea must. He felt that his sensitivity to the darkness had increased dramatically; it was circling around him, taunting but wary of the inner light and power within.

Yet he knew now that this darkness was not the innate nature of the Dark Ocean, but the manifested corrupted darkness used by those who threatened the safety of others. It was darkness that the villains felt easier to use over other types of power, that which according to Jigomon, Dragomon had used to gradually take over the entire realm.

It made him wonder too, if there was such a thing as light becoming equally corrupted.

He shook his head. As philosophical as he could feel at that moment, he did not feel as though it was the most appropriate time. Time...

He was running out of time.

Quietly, he released his knees and felt the cold wall behind him. It felt thick and secure, much like it seemed his fate was – and he, mostly helpless to stop it. A shuddering breath escaped from him, a distant numbness covered masked his senses... he clenched his fists, knowing. It was simply knowing and anticipating the coming of the end. He felt almost akin to one awaiting their execution and knowing that however it ended, no one would be watching out of sorrow.

He did not want to die, but he had accepted the fact that unless a miracle occurred, he was going to.

For some reason, he still had that oddly empty feeling of something missing, something that was essential and always present, but now gone. It took him a few moments of thought, remembering back to the last time he had felt this, resulting in a sudden realization that scared him.

It was Patamon's presence that was missing.

TK nearly screamed when it hit him. For minutes, he sat panicking, thinking that perhaps something had happened, that there had been a battle and Patamon killed, that somehow in another realm people were fighting for their lives and he was inside his cell, unable to do anything to help them.

He forced himself to think calmly. The feeling had been there since had had awoken; maybe the bond had been broken when he had been captured. He had no idea how that might have happened, but it was the only solace he could give himself.

TK, missing that presence of his partner, found himself thinking about everything that he had enjoyed in life, from basketball and flying to candy and video games. He briefly imagined himself back in the warmth of his home, with Patamon beside him as he lounged on his bed and read a sports magazine. The image changed slightly to have Matt sitting in the same room with a guitar, the two of them talking and laughing together as Matt recounted some mishaps during band rehearsals.

The image brought life back into thoughts, as he sat there recalling what would happen when the others came and visited. Yolei and Cody wandering in after school, Joe when he wanted to check up on him after something had gone wrong in the Digiworld, Izzy coming in to ask about strange occurrences, Kari with her camera showing pictures from over the last week, even one where all the Digidestined and partners barged in demanding a barrel of kiwis...

That particular one had never happened... and was something both extremely ridiculous very unlikely to ever happen, but no matter how harassed and confused he might feel if it did, he would gladly welcome compared to his current situation.

He almost wanted to cry. He was never going home, he would never see his family again, his friends, he was just going to die...

_No! Stop it, you're the Child of Hope, what sort of hope are you thinking of right now?! Be an optimist, everything'll be fine, you'll see everyone again, Daemon's plan isn't going to work, you just need to buy some time, the others will come and save you, everyone will get out safely, you'll get home alive too, the Dark Ocean will stop attacking you, it'll eventually get cleansed and go back to the way it was... who am I kidding... no, think hope, everything will be all right..._

He had never felt so conflicted in his life.

There was a sudden bang from the end of the hall that echoed off the stone walls. TK turned sharply in the direction it had come from, eyes widening as he thought of what might have happened, or what was about to.

The dim light glinted off a pair of eyes that suddenly opened glowed in the darkness of the other cell. Jigomon had awakened from his rest, and those eyes were both weary and sad as he looked at TK. "I am sorry for you," he whispered solemnly.

_No, no... already? How long was I out for? Is this really it…?_

He turned, panicking. "Okay, what do I do, how do I buy time, how am I going to keep my hope if Daemon is coming down the hall right now to take me to my death?!"

"For one, do not panic," the digimon advised, though in a serious voice. "For another, remember that dawn has not yet arrived and you are supposed to be dead by the time the sun rises. So..."

TK nodded back, understanding. "Stay alive until sunrise, so the ritual doesn't fully work. I just have to make it past that point... even if I still..."

An involuntary shudder ran through his body.

"It's the best we can do, if nothing else. Make me proud," Jigomon whispered, as the footsteps began down the hall. "Do not lose hope. And make Daemon and Dragomon furious."

TK knew exactly what that meant.

_I'll do what I can. I have to... I'll either escape, warn the others, and live... or keep the others safe... and face death head on. I don't want to die... but if it means hope for the others... _

The footsteps grew louder. TK's heart beat loudly in his chest like a clock counting the seconds until it stopped; he gripped absently at the floor, trying to calm himself. He knew what was coming.

_Don't think of it as a choice. You have to stay alive until after dawn, no matter what. It's the only way._

And Daemon, accompanied by a small band of Spawn, marched into the cell.

"It is time."

TK looked up at them with nothing but seething hatred pouring out of him. He made no other movement, instead sitting and glaring silently.

Noticing that TK had done nothing aside from turn his head and look, Daemon purposefully stepped forward to where he sat in the corner. With a casual air, the digimon reached out with a claw and clenched through the space between the metal cuff and flesh neck, pulling upwards and forcing TK to his feet.

TK involuntarily choked and winced slightly as he felt the claw's sharp edge brush against his throat, the movement from Daemon's harsh handling bringing more than a few twinges to his injured shoulder.

Daemon's eyes only narrowed, piercing as they stared and met TK's own gaze. For a few moments, the two did nothing, only matching in a battle of will; the tall, evil digimon with might and power, and in his claw the chain cuff around the neck of the single boy, young, determined, and not ready to die.

The digimon gave an arrogant huff. "Pity," he remarked, and he brusquely shoved TK away.

TK faltered, losing his balance as he fell backwards. But instead of hitting the wall, he found himself caught by cold arms that held him tightly the moment they took hold of him. He tried to turn to see exactly what it was, and found himself unsurprised to see two Spawn beside him.

He struggled, but they held him firmly, roughly pulling his arms behind his back and bringing his wrists together. Something almost like a clamp came down around them, securely restraining them. It took a moment for TK to realize that the clamp feeling was in fact, due to the Spawn's grip; it certainly seemed to hold much tighter than the other Spawn he had encountered.

The other Spawn drew a limb across the air, leaving a trail of what looked like darkness floating there. It grabbed it in an oddly fluid motion, then came towards TK... and suddenly his sight vanished, but the change came with the light feeling of some thin object's presence over his eyes, wrapped around his head.

He felt his breathing grow slightly shallow, as he had no idea what would come next. However, he did note that somehow, it was more difficult to sense the Spawn than it had been before; he supposed it was due to the corrupted darkness that pervaded every single thing in the dungeon, and Daemon's presence nearby.

And after another moment, there was a click and the weight around his neck was gone.

He almost missed it. At least while it had been on, it kept him in the cell and tied to some point in life, but now it acted as a final reminder that his end was coming soon.

Then he felt a strong, gradual push from the Spawn behind him. He stumbled forward, and despite his efforts to keep his feet grounded, the force was too strong.

He had begun the final walk.

After some steps forward, TK heard the distinct sound of the cell bar closing behind him, and the push urged him to turn left. He tried to resist, by turning left and purposely turning too far.

"Don't tempt me boy," came Daemon's voice. It sounded low with a dangerous tint.

TK's brows furrowed. "I'm already going to die, I don't think it can get much worse."

There was wind and then pain. He reeled over from the blow, barely registering that the Spawn were now dragging him, rather than attempting to cajole him into walking. The toes of his shoes skidded against the ground, and for a few moments he allowed them to carry him as he recovered. Then his pride took over and he lifted both feet and planted them firmly back on the ground.

That pride didn't last long, because the pushing from behind made him stumble. But the close grips of the Spawn stopped him from falling forward; instead, it made him revert to his state of being dragged.

The cycle continued a few times, where TK realized that they had turned in a few more directions, and now seemed to be going down a long hall. The sounds made by the group seemed to resonate more, as though whatever place they were traveling through was fairly large and unadorned, though dampened by some other force. As before, TK felt distinctly the corrupted darkness swirling about the area, but not directly coming to him. It seemed instead, that it was... excited for something.

Then suddenly, the Spawn stopped pushing him forward. They had come to a stop.

TK wondered if they had come to their final destination yet. He silently waited with bated breath, feeling his heartbeat speeding faster.

Instead, he felt the presence of another dark being manifest itself before him, facing towards where he was sure Daemon stood.

"My Lord," a new voice spoke. It was low and hoarse, like many of the voices of those he had heard before in the world of darkness, but stronger and more confident.

Daemon's voice replied. "Report."

"Yes, my Lord. The battle in the Digiworld goes well. Most of the Digidestined have retreated, only four are left. It is confirmed that we managed to severely injure at least one of the humans."

TK's heart froze.

"Which one?"

"The Kindness boy."

_Ken!_

"No!" he burst out, his voice cracking slightly from strain. "You... leave them! You can't hurt them!"

He struggled briefly, but the Spawn holding him only tightened its vice-like grip. A moment later, it pulled at him roughly, forcing his movements to stop.

It was the realization that the others were fighting for his sake that coursed through him and made guilt encumber his entire being. They were fighting a battle... one that they were losing. And Ken... he was proof that things were not going well. To TK, the idea of Ken being, as the being had put it, 'severely injured', was horrifying by itself. It was Ken... a friend, teammate, fellow Digidestined...

But it was all because him. The others would not be fighting if not for his current situation, and now that they were, he felt the fault for their hardship rested on him.

Daemon seemed to snort before continuing. "What of the others? Those fighting and those not?"

_They have to still be all right, please..._

"The forces have been targeting the human children, as was ordered. As such, they have sustained more damage than their corresponding partners."

"Have you managed to kill any yet?"

_Please say no, they can't be dead, this is all my fault – _

"... my deepest apologies, my Lord. The Child of Kindness is the most damaged at present, though we came very close to killing the Child of Courage, the major leader."

_Tai. But he's alive?_

"Why did you fail with him?"

"The Child of Light, my Lord. She... she is awakening."

_Kari's awakening? What? _

Daemon let out a displeased growl. "Already? This makes things... more interesting."

"We've lost a full company unit because of her."

TK found himself standing in shock. Kari was fighting... and apparently, she was fighting well. He found a strange sense of pride swelling up within him for her, one filled with gratitude and amazement. But then he remembered the aim of those in the Dark Ocean, how in particular, Dragomon wanted her for her inner strength of light. He could only hope that perhaps, she could become stronger, and would above all reason survive free.

But Daemon and the other being were still speaking. And he knew that whatever news he received could not be completely reassuring.

The being paused slightly before continuing, sounding almost hesitant. "Permission to lift the strength restriction on troops when against her?"

Daemon was silent for a few moments. It seemed as though he was making a difficult decision. Then finally, his voice echoed again. "Permission granted. But she must remain alive."

TK suddenly had the distinct feeling that Daemon was looking directly at him. He grit his teeth, determined not to show any emotions that the evil digimon might play on to give more orders. He could not let the others be hurt any further than they had, especially because of whom they were fighting for.

But his body was still shaking.

"Of the others..." Daemon sounded as though he was deliberately pausing. TK could tell even without his sight that the digimon had a sadistic grin underneath the cloak. "Remember your orders. We outnumber them substantially. Show no mercy. I want them dead."

His fingers involuntarily twitched, and a breath barely found its way into him as he choked. He knew what it meant, what had been ordered, and there was nothing he could do to change it, aside from betraying Kari to the dark forces, which was something he would never lower himself to enact.

He could feel that the extra dark presence had vanished, probably returning to the same place it had been at earlier. Perhaps it had gone between the worlds, and was now reappearing upon the same battlefield that the other Digidestined were at. At once, he felt a strange sense of longing for freedom, knowing that the others were so close yet worlds apart, and that their battle could have many endings, the most positive of which was also the least likely to happen.

All he wished for was for a sense of peace again, the kind where there were no threats to the fate of the worlds, the lives of his friends, or the safety of others. But while evil continued to use the darkness... it would never end.

Daemon chuckled. "I am surprised," he commented loftily. "Aside from your initial outburst, I thought you would have been a bit more outspoken about the report."

The digimon was obviously baiting him and waiting for an answer.

TK gave him one. "They're stronger than you believe. No matter what you think or how much you try, they won't be defeated. And as long as they're around, your plans won't succeed. You're going to lose."

Daemon burst out laughing. It was an echoing, harsh laugh, one that gave TK a strong chill that rippled through him. "And you truly believe that?!" the digimon shouted, mockingly.

"I'm the Child of Hope, what I believe probably has more weight than what you believe."

Daemon abruptly stopped. TK was aware that everything suddenly felt much colder, from the tense air to the Spawn still restraining him.

"That is so," came Daemon's voice, sounding a little too controlled. "I had forgotten of the mysterious powers and miracles that come with every individual Digidestined... the stories, the prophecies... the very reasons that it is you who stands here."

TK chose not to answer. He knew that Daemon was goading at him, trying to bring down every last bit of his self control and emotional well being. He already knew what was to happen, and he had no reason to give the evil digimon any more satisfaction through his own actions.

Yet, even he felt angered by those comments.

"Tell me, where is the miracle that will save you?"

He said nothing. He could not answer.

There was a chilled silence, the coldness of the dungeon beneath the sea echoing it.

Then footsteps and breath against his ear.

"The one who brings your miracle will not be able to gift it. Because she and her partner are still too weak to stand against me, they will be taken when they come. And you will watch helplessly... unable to stop the inevitable, as the Child of Light finally becomes ours. And you will die with the knowledge that you could do nothing."

He lost all self control.

TK let out a furious roar and tried to throw himself at Daemon, despite the fact he was restrained and blind to the world. "No! Leave her alone! Don't you _dare _touch her!" he found himself screaming, struggling and using all his physical strength in an attempt to free himself, but it was all in vain as the Spawn's grip kept him firmly secure. For a few more moments, he tried to force himself away, but then he felt another cold limb come down like a bar across his throat.

It took only a few seconds before the pain became too much and he had to stop.

It was the feeling of complete helplessness combined with one of his worst fears that had created his outburst, he knew, for nothing else could pull that reaction from him. And he also knew there was very little he could do in his position, being the one in need of saving. Just as it had always been when he was younger, when the group had first come to the Digiworld. As the youngest, the others had done their best to protect him, up through when Angemon had sacrificed himself to save him while he watched, unable to do a thing.

It had taken the entire journey and a couple years of maturing, seeing as the others fought and suffered on his behalf, for it to imprint upon him. And now, with everything happening to him, with the end so near and a mirror of past events reflecting onto what would happen in the near future...

Daemon was laughing at his misery. The Spawn pushed him forward again, and he wondered how much further he would be taken. Quiet anger boiled in his blood, and if anything, he wished that anger could manifest itself and somehow take revenge on the evil Dark ones for everything they had done, to him, his friends, to those of the realm who had been wronged.

He wished he had his D3 back, the one thing which had acted as his weapon during his entire stay. Then somehow, he might be able to let his feelings come through, the light would be with him again, Patamon would come save him...

He heard a few low sounds made by Daemon. Before he could wonder what was going on, the Spawn shoved him forward, he stumbled directly into a cloak of darkness...

And he heard waves.

He was aware of standing somewhere, with a light breeze brushing the humid air past his face. Everything else felt cold, as though it were early morning and lack of sunlight had cooled everything in the dark. The sound of waves roared nearby, and he could almost smell the salt in the wind floating past.

It would have been calming were it not for the undeniable presence of the corrupted darkness entrenched in everything.

The presence of the dark beings around him told him that Daemon and the Spawn were still there, having arrived in this destination with him. TK could even feel those presences strengthening in power, driven by something he was unaware of. He wondered if it was driven by the anticipation of the ritual... or something else.

And then, the darkness that had acted as a blindfold since his departure from the cell lifted.

He saw the ocean. It was the same as when he had arrived, but the night had darkened it. Surprisingly, his time spent in the dungeons overnight had already adapted his eyes to the scenery, and he was able to see the outlines of objects and beings around him despite any direct light source. He took the moment to look around at his surroundings, while each crash of waves reminded him again of why he was there.

It seemed that his escorts had stopped, as they only stood silently as though waiting for something. TK almost wanted to ask what they were waiting for, but chose to resist the temptation. It seemed the situation did not call for that attempt, but that his efforts should be focused elsewhere.

In that moment, he realized that dark energy was swirling around them. He glared around at the air in the general direction of where he felt it, trying to suppress any pangs of anxiety as his heartbeat quickened. Inwardly, he remembered Jigomon's words and both anger and determination rose within him.

_Corrupted darkness, you can't have me. I won't let you. Not yet. I can't die yet._

A spot in the air suddenly contorted sharply into a violently whirling cloud of darkness. TK recognized it by feeling as the same sort of cloak he had come though, and he winced knowing what it was. Perhaps it was this that they had been waiting for... or maybe others were coming to watch his demise.

However, it seemed that whatever was coming through was taking longer than Daemon expected. TK turned briefly to look at the digimon; Daemon was gazing curiously at the cloud, looking both expectant and interested.

And from the cloaked darkness came the noises of yelling and scuffling.

"Daemon, if you can spare a moment some help with this one would be appreciated."

Daemon rolled his eyes. "You decided to grant him audience?"

The digimon strode forward towards the cloud, holding up an arm. It was at that moment, as Daemon looked away from him and into the dark portal, that TK suddenly felt an odd feeling of both foreboding and hope. He stared into the darkness, and as Daemon moved and the movement increased, he thought he saw a horn and the fierce glint of a golden eye.

Jigomon.

Energy from within came bursting from him, as understanding flowed through him. He had to escape, and while Daemon was distracted, he had to somehow make use of the time given to him by the only one in this world he could trust.

Miracles, faith, hope. Hope in that he could live past dawn, and stop the ritual from taking place.

The Spawn's grip was shaking. TK felt warmth spread throughout his body, and he could distinctly see a faint yellow aura.

_Hope. This is the miracle. I'm going._

He aimed both hands backwards, thought of his inner energy, and released it outwards.

His effort was rewarded with a high pitched wail, and he wasted no time wrenching himself free.

The other Spawn moved forward, an automatic response to his sudden escape from their grasp. He however, no longer held any fear for them. They had frightened him throughout his entire experience in the Dark Ocean, but now that he knew why they had been pursuing him, and his entire goal now was to hold off recapture for as long as possible, to the point where he could survive until dawn had passed.

With a burst of adrenaline, he sprinted away, knowing that the Spawn would be chasing, and that Daemon would be after him almost immediately. If he could sense the presence of darkness, then no doubt Daemon could also tell when an energy from the realm of light flared into being. If he wanted to stretch his life beyond the rising of the sun, he had to run, and never stop until forced to.

But at the same time, there was hope running throughout him again, in his realization that he had managed to break free. There was finally a chance of him managing to escape with his life and return to the others; maybe, if he could run and hide, not only would he survive past dawn, but maybe he would find a way out of this realm. Thoughts of seeing the others, their physical presence with him in a world without the corruption of the elements themselves, came up to the forefront of his mind, giving him more determination to fight for his right to live.

A dark presence grew behind him. TK sensed that it was different from that of the Spawn, whose remnants he realized felt like something abnormally hungry and in pain. This one was maddened with rage, the darkness beginning to draw together like an uncontrolled fire. Feeling uneasy about this new development, he turned his head to see what was chasing him.

It was Daemon.

The digimon's entire being had seemingly changed, as though the escape of his prisoner had unleashed the true monster within. TK gulped, fear suddenly turning some of the earlier warmth into ice as the distance between himself and the digimon lessened.

The darkness around him suddenly began to circle him. TK knew now it was the corruption of the world, but it had always been against him. Now, it was enacting to stop its victim from escaping, from the fate it had been preparing him for. The air around him became heavier and stifling, and the humidity made everything feel fluid-like, as though the entire world had become drenched and he was running through water.

The energy from within him was trying to push it away, but it was not strong enough against the darkness that had corrupted the entire realm. It flailed helplessly against the force of the darkness, trying to protect the one it originated from, but it was failing.

He still continued running, even though the energy ebbed away to almost nothing, somehow withdrawing back into him as though in fear of being extracted away from him. He knew he had to keep running, because even if that inner energy was gone, the darkness was trying to engulf him, and Daemon was behind him chasing in an anger that could kill him, it was the only chance he had to escape, to see everyone again, to survive...

TK felt something sharp shoot through his leg. He cried out as all feeling in his leg vanished, as only an icy pain continued to pulse in it.

TK recalled this from his earlier experience being captured. There was nothing actually present, but Daemon had attacked him.

_I just have to keep moving, I've got to get away – _

His leg would not support him. The moment he tried to place any weight upon it, the pain jutted up from where the attack had hit, and the leg itself crumpled forward. Unable to do anything, TK involuntarily collapsed onto the cold, broken pavement.

Despite this, he still tried to escape, crawling forward on three limbs. This was his only chance, perhaps he could buy just enough time for the others to come before he was killed...

A huge blow pounded into his back, pinning him to the ground.

It pushed a strained shout out of him, and he gasped for air as he felt whatever it was that had delivered the blow push down, crushing him between it and the concrete. He attempted in vain to use his arms and resist, trying to force it off, but he was too weak, it was too strong for him, he could barely breathe.

Then his attacker grabbed both arms, twisting them cruelly behind his back. Another agonized cry escaped him, as he felt muscles tearing and joints locking in protest. The pressure only increased, until he could do nothing but let out shallow gasps of pain. His arms were lifted higher, the grip on them turning them gradually until he could no longer move, his focus being only on the feeling of his body being crushed and broken apart.

And suddenly there was a chilled breath beside his ear. "Give it up, boy."

TK lay there, shaking as he refused to meet Daemon's eyes. "N-no..." he whispered.

"More will come... I will make your last moments more torturous that you could ever imagine..."

"...then... kill... me..."

Daemon roared, and TK felt a claw clutch the back of his head.

It was pain that he had never felt before in his life.

Daggers of ice stabbed from every direction, sharp and piercing; everything slowly froze to a point before things became numb; his body burnt from within, heat searing him alive; his limbs were being pulled in all directions, his body could barely endure the strain; suddenly it was crushed, bones breaking and organs mashed; something burnt from outside, then a lack of every sense except touch, but within touch only the sensation of physical agony that cycled and continued, one stage merging to the next, a never ending loop without respite.

Then when it finally ended, it came abruptly.

He had no idea how long it had been. He was barely aware of himself panting, laying in a contorted position on the ground with the dark figure of Daemon standing over him. In desperation, he tried to move, but a spasm of pain shot through him for every twitch and body shift.

He heard Daemon snort at his pitiful attempts. As the pain dulled slightly, the digimon casually lifted a foot and kicked.

He cried out at the blow, and felt the ground move away, only to meet his body again with a hardness that pulsed across him. Then he heard footsteps again, and he opened his eyes fully to see a large pair of demonic booted feet right before him.

"Ever the defiant one," Daemon spoke loftily, the barest taste of annoyance delicately lacing his words. "But even the fighters will fall. And the stronger the soul... the greater the effects of breaking are felt.

"Some say sadism should not be my strong point... but when I am irked, my wrath comes to the forefront. And in that wrath... those who have given me frustration suffer."

TK's eyes widened, and barely had time to breathe sharply before the claw met his head again.

It came again. And again. He could hear a voice screaming in agony, a tortured word occasionally interrupting, begging for a moment of mercy, a voice that sounded so far away he found it hard to recognize. In a moment of lucidity, he thought he recognized the crackle of lightning as well as laughter filled with quiet rage and madness, but then the pain began again and he was detached, trying to withdraw from the world and everything he was enduring.

Then one moment of relief.

But in that moment was Daemon.

"Do you want me to end it yet?" the digimon sounded suggestive, enjoying the suffering he was enacting.

"... stop..."

"Have you paid for your infraction yet? Will you submit?"

He refused to give in. "...n... never..." he barely gasped.

The mad laugh again. "Wrong answer."

TK braced himself, expecting the world to crash into chaos once again, but to his surprise it never did. Instead, a piercing noise tore the air, echoing slightly like a hollow signal.

There was a low growl. "Consider yourself lucky that we must begin the ritual. Death will be your release."

The claw gripped him from the back of the neck, reaching around and taking a firm hold. It was hard for him to breathe, but at least he was no longer being subjected to the torture Daemon had just put him through. But his body still felt it; there was pain shooting through his nerves and taking hold of every part of him, making movement too difficult for him to try.

He felt the ground moving beneath him, the friction burning against his limbs still on the ground. He was a limp doll, being dragged along the cement pavement back towards the execution grounds where he knew he would soon lose his life. The anger and despair at this realization roared in his mind; everything else physically felt distant, as though barely anything else existed.

It was only when he felt another presence, one so steeped in darkness and letting off an aura of power and authority, did TK bring himself back to his outer surroundings. They had stopped moving, but he still had not the strength to move, nor even open his eyes as he sagged in Daemon's grip. More out of curiosity than anything, TK mentally reached out at the aura he could feel...

He withdrew immediately. He could sense the malice, the taint, the darkness that permeated the world, all linked to this one presence; it was among the deepest, most evil he had ever felt, and despite all the pain he was in, he could feel his stomach curl and his retract in repulsion of what it was. Yet the immense power emanating from it, which gave a chilling breath to the surrounding air, filled him with fear.

Daemon rumbled slightly as he addressed the newer figure. "The Spawn allowed the boy to escape briefly. I was forced to fetch him; I must apologize for keeping you waiting, friend."

With that, he roughly threw TK to the ground.

TK's body skidded, bouncing once upon the concrete and flipping to the side. Another cry escaped him, simply automatic this time as he gave no resistance. He was aware of himself lying prone on the ground, and that presence staring down at him in interest. He wanted to hide, he didn't want whoever that was looking at him, he just wanted to go somewhere safe where there would be no more corrupted darkness, pain, or...

_Be strong. You have to be strong. Get through this. Keep going._

In an effort to force himself not to mentally run away, he wrenched his eyes open and brought his attention and energy to the figure before him.

He saw a god from sea's hell.

It was huge, towering high above him even if he had been standing. Its limbs, created from tentacles, were bound by chains to create the semblance of a land-bound creature. The skin was wet, the shine of the water visible even in the darkness of the night; water droplets sprayed at every motion, as though it had just come from below the depths of the ocean. Draconian wings spread from its back, a distinctively different color than the rest of the mottled, dark creature; spines on the shoulder, a neck adorned by odd looking prayer beads, and the head...

Two red eyes gazed down at him from a half that resembled an octopus more than anything else, topping a jaw with sharp teeth. Red designs otherwise decorated the creature's body as ancient tribal tattoos, standing out in the gloom of the world.

And from it, TK could sense all of that power and darkness, the strength of an unnatural, unearthly figure, and how deeply the land was connected to this one figure, the one he knew had conquered the seas and this world, and now wanted someone he cared about, someone who was being lured to them at that very moment.

The being eyed him curiously, as though examining him. TK could already see himself in the eyes of that creature – a small, weak boy lying pathetically on the ground, shivering in fear while still fending off spasms of pain. He hated that image; it reminded him of how helpless he was, how once he had been the one the others had no choice but to protect and rescue, how often he could do nothing to aid the others, how now he could do nothing to save himself.

The creature tilted its misshapen head and nudged the boy before it with a tentacle. TK winced, both from the cold, wet skin and from the fact that it had been his injured shoulder the creature had chosen to touch.

"I see you did not completely destroy him at least."

Daemon huffed from behind.

"I am not a fool, Dragomon. It would do us little good to kill him before the ritual was complete."

"And torturing him into insanity?" came an amused reply. "I can see you were well on your way."

The huge sea digimon moved slightly backwards. TK felt the darkness move, and instantly there were two Spawn beside him, grabbing at his arms and lifting him up off the ground. He groaned as his shoulder wailed at him in protest, and the spasms of pain echoed throughout his body from where the Spawn held him. He was still too weakened to resist, nearly limp as he was pulled into a sitting position, each arm in the grip of the dark beings.

It was as he sat that he saw another digimon, a bit to the side of Dragomon but also being detained by the Spawn. He realized as he looked, that he recognized the shape - the thin streamlined, sleek figure with pointed ears and a horn. But now that it was lighter here than in the dark prison, he could see four limbs, each ending in a webbed claw; the digimon was covered in smooth gray fur, looking slightly shaggy about its face which vaguely resembled a horse. And from it, he could feel the dark yet benign presence, one whom had kept him company during his last few hours in the prison, one that was gazing at him sadly with golden eyes...

"Jigomon?" he whispered.

The digimon's eyes widened, and he looked downwards in response, sorrow encompassing his being.

TK suddenly felt his eyes burning. He had tried... he had tried to escape, to live and survive past dawn, keep his hope so that he could delay the ritual and deny Daemon victory. Jigomon had even fought to make a distraction to allow TK the chance to escape, something he had briefly managed. But in the end he had failed in his endeavors, and now Jigomon had been brought out, forced to watch as another was killed to strengthen Dragomon's forces.

He barely managed to face him. "Sorry Jigomon... I tried..."

Jigomon shook his head, eyes glinting and soft. "Oh TK... you brave child... remember what you stand for, don't let that die within you... you did so well..."

Dragomon barely turned, but even the Spawn surrounding them shuddered at the rage emanating from the master of the realm. TK could feel the corrupted darkness coiling around, barely contained.

"You will face your punishment after the ritual," came the creature's deep, commanding voice. Jigomon cringed away as the Spawn twisted his limbs tightly, obviously pleased with their master's words.

TK winced, fearing for the digimon, but stopping still as Dragomon's eyes stared down at him again. He gathered up his own determination to stare back, trying not to reveal how scared he actually was.

Dragomon snorted, amused at the attempt. Then he nodded to Daemon. "You are finally ready to begin? We have very little time left to complete the ritual now."

"Can it still be completed within the time frame?"

"Of course. After all, I control the oceans and this realm."

A satisfied laugh. "Yes, you indeed do."

With that, Dragomon bowed his head slightly. "I will await your signal. Let us begin soon."

Daemon made a complete bow. As TK watched, Dragomon's form seemed to shift in the air; the entire being's body slowly melted away into a dark fog that drifted away and dissipated into the cool pre-dawn morning.

"Now then," he turned towards TK, tilting his head as though inspecting a rather interesting ant. "You should be on your way. Take him."

The Spawn lifted TK to his feet. He cried out in protest, trying to struggle but failing as he was brusquely shoved forward. Every single movement he made felt weak. Pain still coursed through him with each tug of a joint, and he realized he was practically being carried away, towards the ocean where the cliff divided the beach from the city pavement.

He turned his head to look back one last time at Jigomon. He could see his own desperation reflected in the digimon's golden eyes, the sorrow in what was to come, despair in a future that seemed endlessly dark. TK wanted to shout back, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to, as a sudden dip downwards forced him back to his immediate situation.

He recognized that the Spawn were dragging him down a set of stairs. It was the same set of stairs he had run up the previous day as he ran escaping from the dark beings coming after him, cut into the side of the cliff. The ocean was directly ahead, but the waves were far down the beach; it was low tide, sand exposed to the air above.

And suddenly they had reached the bottom.

One of the Spawn held him firmly in place, while the other knelt down towards that metallic glint that he had seen as he had off of the beach and towards the city the day before. The negative energy he felt had not diminished, and he felt a foreboding feeling as the Spawn unearthed the object...

Something ran down his spine when he realized that it was not one, but a pair of objects – something that would keep him in place. The Spawn was holding two metal cuffs, each connected to chains that led down into the sand.

He shook his head slowly, staring. "No... no... let me GO!" he practically screamed the last word, but his limbs would not respond, the Spawn would not listen, and he was seeing freedom drifting away, that last hope that he could escape vanishing.

It was a futile effort. He watched helplessly as the Spawn snapped the metal cuffs closed around his wrists.

_This isn't happening... this isn't happening... I'm afraid, I'm scared, I need Matt, or Patamon, or Tai, or Sora, or Joe, or someone... just someone, please, help me, I'm going to die, I'm actually going to die..._

He could almost feel Daemon's grin burn into his back. As the Spawn let go, making their way back to their master, TK collapsed to his knees, hands coming out automatically to break his fall.

To his shock, it took most of his willpower to not let his elbows buckle and continue down into the sand. His arms and shoulders screamed in protest, but he refused to allow Daemon the pleasure of seeing him in the same position as earlier, contorted on the ground and screaming. Instead, he waited for his body to become accustomed to the pain, as he himself sat there panting and focusing.

When he felt ready, he forced himself to stand. Suddenly he was happy that his bond with Patamon had vanished; at least his partner would not be hurt by the things he was going through, and would be spared the agony of being with his partner as what was to come passed. TK stared out at the ocean, feeling the weight of cuffs at his wrists and an odd sharp feeling inside them. Glancing down at them, he looked for a crease, lock, anything that could be a hint to freeing himself.

With a growl, he tried prying the cuffs open. His efforts were futile; all he succeeded in was irritating his wrists as the sharp edges scraped against his skin.

"Enjoying yourself?"

TK whirled around, glaring daggers at Daemon smirking from the top of the cliff. "This won't end the way you want it to," he stated angrily, wishing his words would be true.

Daemon let out a hearty laugh. "And what would this other ending be? Is your little escape attempt earlier what you would call a miracle? Pathetic. I'm going to enjoy watching you slowly die."

_Slowly? That's not good... will it give me time...?_

"Oh, and here. I suppose you would like to have it back, though it will no longer aid you."

TK ducked when he saw Daemon toss the object at him, wincing as a jarring pain shot through his injured shoulder. A soft whoomph nearby told him that the object had landed at his feet, and he looked down, his eyes widening when he saw what it was.

Somberly, he knelt down and picked up his D3 from the sand. In some ways, it represented everything, all the adventures, all the memories from every moment he had spent in the Digiworld and with digimon, and the strong friendships he had made over the years. And it had helped him when he had come to the Dark Ocean.

But the evil beings were too far away from him, and the cuffs that bound him were not made from pure darkness, as the Black Gears once had been. He knew that the D3 would not be his tool to freedom. He truly was trapped in place, waiting for either allies to come and rescue him, or death to take him.

He closed his eyes, holding it tightly for a moment. He wondered why he had not spent more time with his parents, his friends, he regretted having not said to them more often that they mattered to him, he was at least thankful that he had been able to say goodbye before his capture. If only... he could see them again...

Silently, TK snapped the D3 back to its normal place. He was still a Digidestined, no matter the cost or the consequences that he suffered. He would face what came with honor and dignity as one.

And despite what Daemon said, maybe, just maybe... a miracle would occur. In his heart, he hoped one would; it was all he could do now.

He clenched both hands into fists, turning to stare once more at the ocean. The pain in his limbs and body still remained, but it had faded greatly, to where he could now ignore it. He felt more aware of everything now – the mist, the scent of salt, the light, warm breeze, the humid air, the sand beneath his feet, the metal around his wrists, the darkness soaking everything in the realm, the presences of others high above and behind, the breath in his lungs, the frantic beat of his heart...

He felt new presences up on the cliff. They reminded him of the Spawn, but stronger, not made of the same substance as those servants. There was more power in these, something that emanated from them, channeled by the ocean and the darkened life force of the world.

Then everything became deathly silent. It was foreboding, and he knew what it signaled.

He spun on the spot, straining slightly to see Daemon's tall figure and other, newer dark beings flanking him. Each one was kneeling, limbs folded into an arcane prayer, awaiting and in position.

Daemon clapped twice. Then he spread his arms wide, bellowing out to the heavens.

"Begin!"

The water sang.

For a moment it stood still, motionless and calm as a pristine lake, unnatural and seeming as though all time had stopped. TK turned and stared, as the ocean became a single entity in its lack of movement, simply a flat sheet of darkened grey.

One humongous rolling wave moved from the horizon, a moving mass that just like everything else, seemed outside of normality. It raced towards the beach, eventually crashing into sea spray and foam, the impact creating a giant roar of power that surged across land, even shaking the ground under his feet.

Then another crashed. Then another. With increasing speed and intensity, and less time between each wave as they came, the water flowed gradually onto the beach, both advancing and ebbing away, a tide both faster and stronger than any normal tide ever could be.

The ocean had become a monstrous body of darkness and was coming towards him.

TK glanced at his surroundings, trying again to find some possible way to escape. He did not expect the water to rise any higher than the high tide mark, which hopefully gave him some time to work with what he had around him. However, it still worried him that Dragomon had spoken of controlling the ocean, so he knew it had something to do with the ritual.

Behind him, a guttural chant began, Daemon's voice mixed in as well. TK turned to see the dark beings and Daemon all staring intensely out at the ocean, deep in concentration. He shuddered slightly, and did his best to shut out the sound

It was only then that he noticed on the cliff markings consistent with water wearing away on rock, and two distinct shades of color forming a line on the wall. In the back of his head, he noted that he had found the tide line, and he continued to look around, unconsciously trying to pry open the cuffs again.

Then he stopped and looked back at the line.

The line was a good height above his head.

Which meant that at high tide, he would be underwater.

Chained to the ground.

And unable to reach the surface.

He suddenly knew how he was going to die.

TK stared out into the gray expanse once again, frozen as the realization hit him. He could feel despair creep into his heart, as he saw how quickly the water was coming in towards him, with each crashing wave another step towards his doom.

Instinctively, he drew backwards as far as the chains would let him, which was only enough for a couple small steps. He winced slightly as the sharp edges inside the cuffs poked against his skin, and inwardly he wondered if those edges were there to keep whatever poor confined soul from wriggling away. He decided to not bother thinking about that.

Then he mentally kicked himself. _To hell with that! The tide's coming in, I'm going to drown, and I'll be dead by the time the sun's up. Or whatever the sun is here. It's happening... it's really happening... I can't be used for this... _

However, looking at the water, he knew he _was_ being used, used against his will for something that would cost him his life. It was all because of who he was, his position as a Digidestined empowered with the Crest of Hope, that he had been targeted, and with his death would be a victory for the side of evil.

It scared him briefly that this was what Kari had continually faced as the one with the Crest of Light.

But she wasn't here. No one was, save for one digimon he had met only hours earlier, restrained and being forced to watch. All he knew was that they were fighting to reach him, and that Daemon and Dragomon's forces were trying to destroy them in the process.

He was conflicted again. He had no desire to be the cause of pain and injury to everyone, but he wanted to live. He thought he had accepted what would happen to him, but as the waves grew closer, he realized that he had not. He still had so much he wanted to do, so much more he desired, he had his friends, family, his life...

_Dead or alive, either way someone other than me will be hurt. I want to live, but not at the cost of someone else's well being. But it's already too late, isn't it? _

He had to mentally remind himself to hold on. He had to hold on until after dawn. He wasn't allowed to die until the sun appeared over the horizon. He had to keep hoping that someone would come, that he could survive as long as he could until either one of those things occurred.

The waves were much higher now, having traveled up nearly three quarters of the way up the beach. TK shuddered. Soon the water would reach his feet, and as the tide continued to rise, he would be gradually encompassed until it rose above him, to where he could no longer reach the air above and succumbed to the depths of the darkness underwater.

Hope and his own determination. It was all he really had left. His eyes continually scanned the skies for any sign of a flying digimon, his ears listening for the sounds of roars, battle cries, and familiar voices shouting. But the only thing he saw was the approaching ocean, and he could hear only the chanting of the digimon behind him, and the crash of waves pounding.

_Please, someone... anyone... _

The water reached his feet.

He had already pulled himself as far from the water's edge as he could, and now it lapped at his shoes, each approach higher than the last. It was morbidly fascinating to watch as the ocean gradually rose, gently circling his shoes in a disturbing caress. Soon those were soaked, frigid and cold, still as movement came from the push of liquid from the front.

TK could feel Dragomon's darkness in the water. It was directly connected to the undersea master himself, flowing and controlling every wave, the gradual movement of the ocean as it came into its cycle far too quickly than it ever would have were it natural. He recoiled as he felt his shoes fill with water, as the waves began to push harder, such that he was forced to move along with the ebb and flow of the current.

The chanting above him grew louder, and more guttural. The air was thick with energy, vibrating with the mist, amplified as the power of the dark beings beside Daemon focused it down at him. There seemed to be something growing, as though it were building up for a particular moment; TK was suddenly filled with a sense of foreboding, one that shrieked at him that something was about to happen. The urgency mixed with his already present fear, and his mind raced, somehow knowing but yet not knowing what was to come.

Then suddenly, he felt the cuffs around his wrists tighten.

And he knew what those sharp edges inside of them were for.

A raw involuntary scream escaped his throat, the cuffs clamping down and cold metal piercing skin. He could feel the darkness circling him tighter now, almost gleefully preying upon his pain and despair, as the water continued to rush back and forth around his knees.

He stumbled, unable to feel his hands and an agony of the like he had never experienced before, even more than what Daemon had done earlier, shot up his arms, into his body and freezing everything within. It was the power of the ritual, that which was filling every part of him with cold, forcing out warmth and bringing pain with it.

He could barely stand, but some last stream of consciousness told him to stay upright, to not fall, and it told him that he was still there, he existed, he was not a lost soul trapped in the ice that was eating away at him, tearing him apart and ripping away what made him himself. He realized that a visible black aura surrounded him, fighting to conquer the glowing yellow that now emanated from him, and he felt breath leave him in roars as the internal battle occurred.

Then as suddenly as it had come, it died away to nothing but sharp pain at both wrists.

TK felt sick. He repressed an urge to retch, but even then he knew that there was nothing in his stomach to come out. Shaking, sweat beading on his forehead, he took a few deep breaths and tried to regain his composure, slightly bent and supporting himself with his hands firmly on his knees.

But he realized, as he stood with slightly halted breath, that there was a strange weakness within him, as though he was losing energy.

Then gazing down at his knees, his brows furrowed and he wanted to cry out again in despair at the blood dripping down his hands, down his legs until the red met grey sea.

So this was it. His life was trickling out of him into the ocean, and with it the power and protection of Hope, which would be absorbed into the strength of evil and leave him dead. All this struggle, the battles, the friends hurt and the barriers broken... all for this aim, the advantage acquired for the darker side and the obstacle gone for the light.

A new wave washed past him, crashing against the cliff behind. TK suddenly felt that everything was so surreal, that if not for his physical pain and blood, the world could easily vanish away. It was the dream, the one he had had for weeks before he had come to this realm; here he was living it, rooted as he was, surrounded in the mist with the cold water rushing about his legs.

And he realized in a sudden wave of despair, that for all his efforts, he was going to die before dawn anyway.

A dark chuckle escaped his lips. "So, what now...?" the words came, madness approaching as he felt himself laughing uncontrollably. He straightened and screamed out into the air. "WHAT NOW?!"

His voice echoed eerily across the ocean before him, but of course he had not shouted in hopes of an answer. It simply felt absurd now, that everything would end with this, that the side of evil might actually succeed for once, and he, a fighter firmly against it, would be part of what empowered that which he had fought against for years. In the end, nothing mattered.

He stopped paying attention. All he knew was that the water was still rising, and all around him his internal energy and light was bleeding out of him along with his blood. There was still no sign of any friendly figure in the distance, and he felt more alone than he ever had in his life – one he was aware would end soon.

Hope... what was it anyway? Was Daemon right – all he stood for was the belief that somehow, things would be all right in the end, even if everything went wrong, and there was no future but defeat and death left? TK could barely see it any more, all he could think was that he was dying, those he cared about were fighting in vain, that if Kari made it not only would she be too late, but Dragomon would take her for his own. It was as though everything could easily end at that moment, an entire side destroyed or enslaved and the path open for evil to take control.

It might as well be the darkest hour. He had no idea what was going on in the battlefield in the other realm, and what hope he had left was now only that the others would survive and escape. But he could not tell them, for they were literally a world away, as they fought to try and save him, and that effort was now futile...

He heard laughing. Daemon was laughing. Laughing at his expense, at the boy whose life would end in the process of bringing strength to the corrupted darkness of the ocean. TK wanted to shout back, and somehow gain the inner power to force the world to stop so he could destroy the evil that threatened him and everything he cared about, but he knew he could do nothing. Daemon was not the one chained at the foot of a cliff, bleeding to death and waiting for the tide to rise above his head, helpless without friends or hope to save him.

He lost track of time, staring blankly at the sea and feeling the water rise, gradually chilling whatever came beneath it. He felt weaker now, both mentally and physically, as the current dragged him back and forth, and he could not fight against it. The deep gray of the waves now had a red tint, and something visibly smoky and black curled around him under the surface. His own aura, once bright and clear, was flickering and faint as the dark overcame it.

Slowly, everything that he had been so acutely aware of began to vanish. The ocean's roar was merely a rumble, splashes tinkling lightly in his ears. He gazed out and found the images before him shifting, phasing in and out of focus, sometimes darkening, other times flickering out of view completely before returning moments later.

The water was swirling around his waist.

He stared downwards, finally closing his eyes.

_I don't care any more. I don't care. I'm sick of the pain, fear, despair, the fighting, everything. I just want this to be over._

The world seemed so distant now, the feeling of the water rushing around him barely registering to his numb skin. He felt light-headed, unable to clearly think any more except for the barest words begging the others to retreat, escape, survive, the only hope he could give. His breath sounded shallow and far away, but his could still feel his heart beating, pounding away as it tried to continue pumping blood through his body, and only worsening everything by pushing it out along with his energy that Daemon had wanted so badly.

He was dizzy. The strength that had once been within him, that he had taken for granted, had all dripped away, blood in his veins not returning to his heart, the last spark of energy within fading. He found that it was easier to close his eyes, and that the water that took him back and forth with its waves was supporting his body more than his legs could.

For moment, he thought he felt something, something familiar to him but foreign to the world of darkness. He tried to focus on it, but found that his mind passed over it, whirring away from everything and letting the world go.

There was a splash, his face was wet, no, the water was everywhere now, he had fallen, but somehow he did not care that no air entered his lungs, just a lack of energy, of knowing, of everything...

_Everyone... I'm sorry..._

Light.


	15. Interior

A/N: Phew. This took a while to write, seeing as there's much more action in it than I originally anticipated. It's also, though not as long as the thirteenth chapter (the last time we saw these people), it's pretty close. I was originally aiming for it to be closer to the length of the previous chapter, but... it ended up way longer. It also makes me sad that I chose to write this fic specifically from the points of view of TK and Kari, because it means I can't write some of what's going on with the other Digidestined during this.

In regards to some of what happens - yes, I planned the major events, and had lots of fun with those. Also, descriptions with the pole are actually based loosely off of real moves from Aikijo (which is like Aikido but with the added element of a short staff).

So anyway, this is the chapter that I like to dub, "The Chapter in which Tai is Awesome", although everyone gets their moments. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

_**Interior**_

Kari was sure that this moment would be forever branded in her memory as one of the most adrenaline and power filled moments of her life.

She was on Nefertimon, flying forward with the wind rushing through her hair and the feeling of freedom and determination swirling through her. Below, Greymon and Garurumon ran side by side with Tai and Matt atop them, all four seemingly in balance as they raged together in the charge. She knew that Kabuterimon and Izzy were directly behind them, covering them from back; Ankylomon and Ikkakumon were to the sides, galloping forward as quickly as they could and acting almost as digimon shields. Ahead was Exveemon, spearheading the charge.

As they charged as one onto the battlefield, Davis suddenly let out a whooping battle cry. Exveemon joined in, drowning out his partner's voice as his own roar trumpeted a call to the fight. Almost capriciously, Kari began her own shout, harmonizing with Davis as her blood pumped with energy. As she did, she could hear the cries of the others around her, all yelling and screaming as their battle rage overcame them, the desire to fight, protect, and save encompassing all.

Spawn rose up and rushed at them, but those efforts made no progress as Exveemon attacked out, pushing the enemies to the sides where Ankylomon and Ikkakumon dealt with them. It was almost as though as a group, they were unstoppable; the darkness flying at them, the looming tower growing higher, nor even the knowledge that the boundary of another world could keep them from their goal.

Something flew above. Kari looked up, wary for any enemies that might have chosen to take the form of some winged beast, knowing that she would need to watch for them given her position. Silently, she hugged Patamon closer to keep him safe, glancing about for any sign of a shadow or sense of looming darkness coming at them.

She heard the swoop and sensed an unearthly presence.

"Nefertimon, above!"

"Rosetta Stone!"

The squeal of a Spawn rewarded their efforts. Kari lifted a hand and let her energy spiral out in a last hit, and the presence vanished with a cry.

"You're getting good at that Kari," Nefertimon complimented.

"Thanks."

Below, Tai brandished his pole like a spear, though it did little as Exveemon and the other digirmon surrounding them were defending the trio in the middle excellently. She thought she heard Joe yell something to Matt, giving a salute of some sort as Ikkakumon fought off something that looked vaguely like cougar, only covered in plated metal; then she saw Ankylomon dodge an attack from a mantis-like creature that was much more agile than himself. She felt her heart stop for a moment as its blade nearly hit Cody, but Ankylomon managed to block in time with his tail.

_This isn't good... _

It was then that she suddenly sensed the presence of an enemy above... stronger than the usual Spawn, like souls merged together –

"Kari, overhead! One of the meldings!" she heard Nefertimon call out.

She held out her D3, channeling her energy through it in hopes that the attack would be stronger and also help her reserve her strength. She looked up and around, trying to see where it was...

There was a cry and the sound of a searing hit, then the swirl of darkness losing form and fading away.

Kari blinked for a moment in surprise.

Patamon suddenly shouted out in what sounded like both relief and happiness. "Kari, Nefertimon, look up there!"

She looked up and found elation fly within her.

Above them was a huge green flying insect digimon with a familiar indigo-haired boy sitting on its shoulder.

"Stingmon! Ken!"

Kari was overjoyed to see them. In particular, Ken looked surprisingly well given what had happened to him, though his face was pale and his entire left side was soaked in red. Bandages wrapped his shoulder, while more bound his arm to his torso.

Joe must have done a good job with his emergency patch-up, Kari thought, as Stingmon soared over and downwards towards them. And Ken was...

Ken was staring at the entire group as though they had lost their minds. Though looking weak and exhausted, he had a perturbed look on his face that clearly stated, "What the hell are you guys doing, what sort of tactic is this supposed to be?"

Kari looked up at him, nodding and holding up two fingers. A look of realization spread across Ken's face as he saw the formation; he also held up two fingers, before bringing his hand into a salute.

She saw his smile, and Stingmon sped up to enter Exveemon's line of sight. Even as she still watched above and around for danger, she couldn't help but feel warmth as she saw Davis shout out in exclamation, and Ken yell back in reply.

They were near now. Kari could distinctly see the entranceways to the tower, all of which were being closed as though the enemy knew what their goal was and was trying to prevent access to the interior. She grit her teeth.

_No, we have to get in. We need to get in to get him back!_

With a sense of determination running through her, she looking at the giant crowd of enemies surrounding them, and seeing how close they were to the tower now, threw all caution and reserve for her abilities away.

Kari focused once more. She felt for the renewed light energy that grew stronger the more she called upon it in this battle; it was flowing throughout her body, ready to protect her and anyone she could, fighting back against these creatures of darkness. This time it took her less effort to draw it out, and she as she did so she let it swirl and cascade out as a giant exploding shield.

It centered on her, but expanded into a blaze. She let out a cry as it came, the light touching everything but leaving only humans and digimon unharmed. The screeches and moans of the Spawn as they withered away echoed from all around, but she did not wince like she would have earlier in the battle; instead, she took gratitude in that the others were safer for the effort.

As the light died away, Kari was aware of quite a number of eyes upon her.

She waved weakly, and thought she caught Joe clapping from afar. Then she saw Matt staring in awe, and Tai grinning proudly.

"You know, I think I like sitting here with you," came Patamon's response from where she still held him.

She had to giggle a little wearily. "I don't think I could manage that again though for a while. Call it burst of inspiration or something, but it's tiring."

The battlefield immediately surrounding their diamond had been cleared. Exveemon took this time to charge forward further, as the formation neared the closest entrance to the tower. Even as they drew closer, the Spawn were relentless as they crossed the barren, empty ground to take the place of their kin that had been wiped clean from the world; from a distance, Kari could see that some were coalescing into their larger, stronger counterparts while others prepared to attack en masse.

But they were close now, close enough that all they needed was one last burst to reach it...

At once, Tai lifted a hand and shouted as a signal.

What happened in those moments was a blur.

She thought she heard Davis call to Ken, and the shout of two Champion level digimon bonding to each other in the act of DNA digivolving; behind and all around her she sensed great bursts of energy as partners connected through their ties to one another, the feeling of everyone's resolve coming together at that exact moment for one purpose.

And even as attacks rained down from all sides, each digimon and human duo fought them off, filled with the determination to make this mission succeed, and to rescue the one person trapped away from them.

Through this protection, as Paildramon with both Davis and Ken atop charged ahead, Garurumon howled and Matt screamed out a battle roar that chilled Kari's bones. It was as they neared the tower's entrance that she realized exactly what it was – there was a mixture of rage, grief, desperation, vengeance, longing –

She closed her eyes, thinking of the one person that could cause such an upheaval of emotions in that pair.

_TK…_

The entrance was open, the reinforcements bursting out as a wave of shadowy black, but even that would not stop their charge. Kari let out a cry as she held out her hand, focusing on the light power within her that had been growing since the beginning of the battle. As energy poured through her, manifesting itself into a pure shining beacon spiraling into the mob of dark creatures, she heard Garurumon's and Greymon's yell from their respective attacks.

The explosion washed through the entrance, leaving the space open.

"Now!" Tai shouted.

The three digimon burst through.

What greeted them in a great hall was practically a sea of black bodies gasped and moaned at them, pitiful cries and shrieks of rage.

Kari glared at the enemies before them. Those creatures of darkness were in the path towards TK... she almost felt sorry for them, but for the fact that they were trying to kill everyone she cared about. Behind, she could hear the blasts as the others kept the forces from moving back inside to attack.

Almost threateningly, Kari allowed some of her energy to pour out and surround her with a faint glow. She gazed at the Spawn regally, almost daring them to attack.

The mob seemed to back away slightly, staring at her in awe and fear. She thought she heard whispers, softer than she or any human should be able to pick up, but strangely amplified in that hall.

"The queen... the queen..."

"Power... give to us..."

"Hope's counterpart... they will be ours..."

"Lord Dragomon's choice..."

Patamon twitched.

"I think this battle's given us what we need for a little more digivolving, don't you think?" Tai said lightly, his voice sounding far too playful for the enemies before them. "Matt, Garurumon, wait until later – we'll be able to move better. I'll come with you."

Both human and partner nodded. "Got it," they replied simultaneously.

As Greymon stepped forward threateningly towards the group of Spawn, Tai took that moment to slide down his back and hop to the ground. Even Kari noticed the lurch of many of their enemies that moved in accordance to Tai's step, as they seemed to watch the human's every move.

Tai grit his teeth. "So you're all watching me, huh? I think you're missing something important!"

"Nova Blast!"

Greymon's roar echoed, shaking the very ground they stood on. As the giant fireball blew past, roasting many Spawn in its path, Tai gave a shout, looking ahead with a determined gaze as he brandished his pole. It was at that moment that Kari suddenly thought she saw the auras again, strong and brightly burning around her brother as his courage came to physical being...

"Greymon digivolve to... Metalgreymon!"

Even though they had given up their crests years earlier, and the power of Azulongmon's cores had been given to Imperialdramon during their battle close to the end of the previous year, Kari knew that this power no longer came from another energy source. It was the very will and resolve that Tai was emanating that was allowing higher levels of digivolving to occur; even Metalgreymon himself was giving off that same determination.

It reminded her of why he had become the leader in all their efforts, why even though Davis led the younger group, Tai was the one they eventually all turned to. And he cared about every member of their team, while being able to work with and lead everyone together.

Tai nodded. "Go for it Metalgreymon!"

The digimon gave another roar as he attacked. "Giga Blaster!"

The explosion left more of the floor empty of Spawn, some still withering while others had been annihilated completely.

Garurumon galloped up to Tai. "All right, get on!" he shouted, kneeling down slightly as Matt held out a hand.

Tai gladly took it, swinging up onto Garurumon behind Matt, careful not to hit him with the pole. The two boys nodded to Kari, who still holding onto Patamon, returned the gesture in understanding. _We aren't defeating them all. We're cutting through and running._

With Metalgreymon in front clearing the way, Garurumon and Nefertimon sped through the crowd of Spawn, shooting out their own attacks when the enemy came too near. Kari glanced behind briefly, seeing the dark forms race towards them; she aimed her D3 backwards in an attempt to also defend their smaller group.

They all made it onto a ramp that seemed to lead from the exit area to a larger hall. Though still surrounded by enemies, it was apparent that Metalgreymon's charge had caused enough of a disturbance that many of the Spawn seemed wary or confused. He roared again, barging his way up and into the larger area while shaking the ground, causing some to lose their ground.

The hall seemed large enough to mobilize a large number of any fighters, and it seemed that was exactly what it was being used for. It was filled with Spawn lined in disorganized rows, as though they were to have been deployed but for a combined group of seven digimon and humans that had just forced their way in.

"Giga Blaster!"

"Well that was easy," Tai commented as nearly half of the room evaporated away.

Kari had to agree. It simply seemed too easy; the Spawn were in chaos, crawling about and screaming in rage as their formation fell, and they tried to escape from Metalgreymon's onslaught. If not for what they stood for and what they had done to everyone, she might have felt sorry, but at this point she just wanted them gone.

Many of those remaining began merging together in an unmistakable effort to strengthen themselves to overcome the Ultimate before them. Neither Garurumon nor Nefertimon were about to let them though; they charged forward, shouting as they shot their attacks and continued to diminish the crowd.

She felt grim satisfaction as she felt the wind fly past her face, her partner below her dealing with the unmerged creatures around. Patamon even briefly sat up to let out one of his own attacks, weak as it was against these enemies, with a loud "Ha!" of victory as his target fell over right into Garurumon's Howling Blaster.

Some of the Spawn had transformed; despite this, it seemed that the digimon were winning. They were just too determined to keep going, to make their way through the enemy and towards the back of the room, where a grand staircase laid the path to the rest of the tower. Metalgreymon dispatched what looked like a large, vicious bear, and Garurumon neatly dodged something that had taken the form of huge, flying insect before grabbing it with his jaws. He bit down, and it neatly broke in half before dissipating.

He bounded up to Nefertimon, both Tai and Matt whooping a little in exhilaration. All three motioned towards the stairs, and Kari nodded back.

She could see Tai's grin. "If we keep going like this, we'll get to the top in no time," he commented, seeming proud as his partner swiped away at one of the merged beings while allowing a hopeful look to cross his face.

The look faded as a sea of black figures poured down the stairs.

"Guess I spoke to soon," he muttered in a dark voice.

Then suddenly without warning, something went flying across the room over Tai and Matt's heads.

The two ducked in time, and stared into the huge mass of Spawn in shock.

"...what the hell was that...?" Matt asked unsurely.

Kari looked towards where the object had flown from. She could see the Spawn coming from the stairs, charging down in waves as they held something metallic in their hands that glinted every time any bit of light touched it...

She stared at the sea that now apparently held weapons of some sort.

"Holy..." Tai gazed at the nearing enemies, his tan skin looking pale in shock. "That is not cool. And you'd think that since they're transforming anyway, they wouldn't even bother..."

"Well, obviously, they are bothering, probably because none of us have died yet," Matt muttered, gripping tightly onto Garurumon. "Evasive tactics?"

"Leave it to me," the digimon rumbled beneath them.

Volleys of something sharp flew through the air, and both Garurumon and Nefertimon bolted to the sides, not waiting to watch the attacks go by. Instead of trying to counter, the two worked together to dodge and deflect away anything that came at them, using their paws to knock things down and cause them to go spinning into the crowd.

Kari had a difficult time holding on, and flattened her body against Nefertimon in an attempt to stay with her. She realized she was Patamon to her so tightly she was sure she was squashing the poor digimon between herself and Nefertimon; she felt him quiver slightly, but he seemed to be breathing without difficulty.

Metalgreymon roared, and swiped away the enemies from around him. "Stay together!" he shouted, and both Nefertimon and Garurumon moved to answer his call.

As a unit, the three digimon made their way towards the stairs. "Let us through!" Metalgreymon's commanding voice echoed with a low growl.

Something laughed. "Oh, we will let you pass... dead!"

The sound of the huge multitude of Spawn chittering was almost too much for Kari to take. She tried to mentally block out the noise; it just reminded her of hungry cries as though the darkness was in the form of millions of small creatures preparing to chew her alive.

_They might as well be, given what they've been acting like._

There was a shriek, and suddenly the Spawn moved forward towards them. With an unnerved shout, Kari waved her hand in a sweeping motion before her, surprised to see the light move outwards from her as a bladed wave. It cut through the crowd, bisecting many and reducing them to withering, screaming shapes that vanished from existence.

She stared at her hand. _This is getting more unreal by the minute._

It was as one of the Spawn leaped up with a weapon at Metalgreymon that she heard Tai yell. The digimon took the attack on the metal of his chest, before swiping away at the creature with a claw.

It moved quickly, agile in contrary to the large, heavy weapon it carried.

Tai had just dropped his jaw, while Matt had a look of disbelief and horror written across his face. Kari realized that she must have had a fairly worried expression as well. "That's a freaking battle axe," Tai exclaimed, staring. "Since when did these things use weapons like this?"

Matt shrugged helplessly, his voice slightly higher and strained. "Well, they weren't using them outside for sure," he answered. "I mean, it should be fine, digimon use weapons all the time, sometimes they digivolve into forms with them, it's not like we haven't fought things like this before," by this point he seemed to be babbling as he stared more at the creature.

"Except these aren't digimon," Garurumon snarled beneath them, baring his teeth and growling.

With an angry howl, he dove into the battle, mouth open to attack and bite, only barely keeping the mind to limit his movements so as not to throw either of his passengers off.

Nefertimon gave a shout, and Kari barely had time to grab tightly before the digimon bolted to the side, dodging what looked like a spear of some sort. She felt her body being jolted about, and almost unable to focus on anything else other than trying to hold on and also keep Patamon with her, shut her eyes and placed her faith in her partner's ability to evade and fight.

She heard explosions, metal clashing on metal, Tai and Matt yelling, Garurumon's howls, Nefertimon's battle cries... she could feel when her partner was on the ground, jumping and running along the floor, the moments when she used her wings to glide in one direction or help change directions quickly... there was the occasional brush of wind when something came too close to making contact, Patamon's squeal accompanying it, the metallic ring in the air as something passed by...

Kari felt the pattern of movement change into swift wingbeats. She opened her eyes, allowing herself to finally pull some sense and calm back into her being as she took some deep breaths.

Metalgreymon and Garurumon were on the stairs. The larger digimon was doing his best to shield Garurumon and the two humans from harm, able to use his body and metal-covered arm to block and deflect whatever attacks came at them; though succeeding, he was clearly having difficulty given the number of enemies surrounding them.

Nefertimon had jumped into the air, gliding barely above the angered Spawn below that only nearly missed clawing at her stomach. A few waved what looked like swords and axes at her, and she seemed to be steering clear of anything that reflected light back at them.

Kari winced as some of the Spawn in their transformed shapes tried to leap up and attack. One rose above the others, wings flapping and chasing them madly as what looked vaguely like a gargoyle wielding a scimitar. She wordlessly held up her D3 and sent a beam at it, not bothering to watch it die away.

"We're heading up," Nefertimon reported to Kari, flying to the stairs. She rushed under Metalgreymon's arm, barely managing to fit with her wings brushing the other's skin and landing delicately next to Garurumon, who was watching warily as a few more enemies came from above. She realized that the number was significantly less than before – if it had been a waterfall that had poured down the stairs earlier, this was a mere trickle.

"Howling Blaster!" he yelled as a blue jet of frozen fire spiraled out his mouth at the Spawn. "This looks like the end of a wave!"

Atop him, Tai nodded. "Go for it, Metalgreymon!"

The Ultimate level digimon aimed his chest towards the ceiling.

"Giga Blaster!"

Kari saw the attack fly up, and watched in odd fascination as both missiles twirled up almost gracefully, leaving behind curving trails of smoke.

The sight of a Spawn, unmerged with its kin but transformed to where it was now three times its normal size, charging at them with a large mace snapped her attention back.

"Move!" she heard both Matt and Tai scream, and the digimon retreated up the stairs as the being led a charge, others like it following in a herd. It let out a huge cry that sounded like it was screaming in pain, its voice still carrying the quality that made it seem as though it were moaning gutturally from a water-filled throat.

The ceiling exploded.

It was just in time. Blocks of broken stone and metal scaffolding fell, crashing into the stairs and smashing the steps. Kari winced slightly as she heard the screams of Spawn as they were crushed by the falling rubble, the stone raining down on those closest to the digimon and their group; the crashes nearly drowned out the Spawn, echoing throughout the hall.

The giant being with the mace, having been at the front and narrowly dodging the onslaught of the deadly rain of debris let out a shriek and charged at Garurumon, wielding its weapon in what seemed like a blind rage.

The fact it was agile made it extremely difficult for Garurumon to dodge, especially with two humans on his back. He leaped to the side, the mace missing his fur and Matt's foot by a hair.

The Spawn spun around, making wild swings that came far too close to connecting to its target. As Garurumon kept dodging blows, too focused on not being hit to counter, both Tai and Matt held on for dear life, shouting in their attempts to stay seated on the digimon's back and not let themselves be thrown off.

Nefertimon stepped forward, trying to aid by preparing to fire at the Spawn, but it was moving quickly, each of its blows a bare miss from Garurumon, such that she was hesitating in fear of accidentally hitting her own ally; Metalgreymon knew he would destroy them all if he even attempted to attack; Kari herself felt the presence of the beings that still trickled down the stairs, and turned to deal with them, calling out her light to destroy them while Nefertimon was distracted.

The mace finally made a hit, tearing into Garurumon's back flank. He howled in pain, his back legs falling to the ground, as Matt cried out in horror and grabbed onto his fur in order to not fall; in anger and frustration, Tai stabbed his pole at the creature, succeeding in skewering part of its limb before it retreated briefly.

Kari shot a beam at the Spawn just as it dove forward, the mace rising high above its head. The beam grazed against its back, and as Garurumon strained to move aside, his back legs unable to push off the ground with his usual force, the dark being brought its weapon down.

Out of instinct, Tai held up the pole in what everyone knew was a vain attempt to protect them from the Spawn.

With a clatter, the mace tore through the wood, snapping it into nothing but splinters. Miraculously, the mace was slightly deflected, just enough that Garurumon was able to sidestep and dodge the attack completely instead of getting hit again.

From the new angle, he opened his mouth. "Howling Blaster!"

The attack made direct contact, and the Spawn let out screech of pain. Matt held out his digivice towards it, glaring as he shouted; the light from the device was too much, and the Spawn withered away into smoky nothingness, the mace bursting apart into data.

Then they all looked at each other, and at the teenage boy holding what looked like a splintered stick.

"So Kari... what happened to your rope?" Tai asked uneasily, tossing away his now useless piece of wood that had until moments before been a pole.

Kari winced slightly, while both Matt and Patamon looked at her in surprise. "Rope?" Matt asked with a bemused expression.

"It got destroyed," she answered, "One of the Spawn lit it on fire."

Matt still looked confused. "A rope? You were fighting with a rope?"

"She was awesome with it," Tai said quickly, glancing down nervously at the rubble on the stair landing. "Come on, before any more break through and follow us up."

Then he along with Matt turned to look back behind at Garurumon's flank, staring in concern at what looked like black data spewing from the wound.

Garurumon shook his head wearily. "I'll be fine, it's already starting to recover. Let's get going."

He nodded to Metalgreymon, who still looked uneasy after the entire ordeal. "Don't overdo it," the Ultimate rumbled, and he started up the stairs, leading the way further into the tower. Nefertimon took off after him, and Garurumon followed directly behind.

Kari was relieved that the Spawn seemed to come in waves. The digimon went the quickest they could, hoping to make the most distance possible before the next one came, knowing that they would be swarmed and outnumbered if met with a full mob. Despite Metalgreymon's fighting power, they could not depend on him to clear it for them; even too many with weapons would wear him down, and they could not always hope for the creation of obstacles such as a collapsed ceiling to delay the enemy.

They continued on in silence, too focused on the battle and what they had just escaped from to converse. Metalgreymon seemed the most wary, glancing about carefully ahead as he led them up what now appeared to be a very long spiral staircase. Kari could almost imagine a legion of the Spawn marching down these steps, not as a rolling wave but as a disciplined army. She was very glad that none of them seemed that organized.

Now with the time to take in their surroundings, Kari saw that the tower interior seemed to be made from smooth, polished black stone. The fairly high ceiling was the only reason that Metalgreymon could fit, and the stairs themselves were wide, enough that she was sure it would have taken Garurumon two leaps to cross. She knew there had to be metal scaffolding in the structure, given what had fallen earlier during Metalgreymon's attack, but it was still strange to see only stone.

To her surprise, there were also light sources in the form of what looked like glowing smears on the stone walls, interrupted by an occasional rune or symbol. Considering what the tower was and where it lead to, she felt it somewhat suiting that a path to a dark realm would lack any conventional lighting.

The digimon's footsteps echoed down the stairwell, the sounds bouncing back and forth against the hard stone surfaces until they faded out of existence. Kari shot a glance backwards; if this were the case, then there should have been aural evidence if they were being followed. It also meant that if anything were to approach them, they should hear it first...

"Do we know where in this tower the entrance to the Dark Ocean is?" Metalgreymon rumbled from ahead. "It would be bad if we assumed it was at the top of the tower and it was really in the basement."

Those behind him exchanged glances. "Good question," Patamon answered, suddenly looking extremely concerned.

Almost unsurprisingly, Tai leaned around Matt to gaze at his sister. "Kari, do you have any idea?"

She winced. "Well, not much, though I kind of thought it'd be at the top too..."

"Let's just be sure. Can you maybe find out?"

It was strange, having Tai turning to her for help, but she realized that with the recent development of her abilities with light, the others thought that she would be the most able person to deal with whatever the darkness came at them with.

She nodded, and tried to focus upwards. She tried to search through everything she could sense, from the multiple presences of unearthly beings to even things like the structure of some of the floors... and found something that felt nearly identical to the darkness warps that everyone had attempted to go through.

"There's something that feels like those places where we tried to get to the Dark Ocean," she reported. "It's pretty high up... not the very top, but pretty close."

"Cool, we weren't far off then," Matt sighed in relief.

"Oh, Kari!" Nefertimon suddenly exclaimed. "This is completely off topic, but I need to commend you for how well you were fighting earlier. It was the fire – that's how I saw that it was you."

Kari smiled, though she could tell that the others were all glancing at her curiously. "Thanks."

She heard Matt's hesitant breath over the echoes of loping paws and clawed feet. "So what exactly happened? You got separated from Nefertimon, I know that part from Patamon, and you picked up a rope and used it to fight?"

Kari inwardly winced. "I needed something to use as a weapon. It worked... I kind of used it as a whip and something I could choke things with," she answered, trying to sound as casual as possible.

No one answered for a moment.

"To be honest, that sounded a little creepy coming from you," Matt replied, giving a weak laugh.

Kari laughed weakly. "I know, right? I never thought I would be fighting like that until the rope actually became useful..."

Behind Matt, Tai sighed and waved a hand as though trying to imagine his pole still being in his grip. "But fighting in a battle like this? Some things have to change."

"Guys, you hear that?"

Everyone stopped speaking at Garurumon's warning. There was noise coming from further up...

As it grew louder, echoing down the stone stairwell, Kari suddenly realized that the low sounds of moans and screams of what had to be battle cries were increasing, as though a mob of dark beings were charging down at them.

"Second wave!" she screamed.

And then the Spawn were upon them.

She almost was unable to keep track of everything going on around her. There were just too many; Nefertimon was attacking out almost frantically, trying to keep the enemy away from herself and the passengers on her back; Garurumon was clearly having difficulty as he attempted to jump away and evade, countering when he could and trying to not throw off the two boys he carried; Metalgreymon was the only one who seemed unencumbered, but even that was debatable from the small space he was forced to fight within.

The three humans were at this point trying to help with their digivices as much as possible, to keep the dark ones away so their partners could have the space to strike. Kari would sometimes manage to let out a blast of her own, opening up some of the stairs and allowing their group to continue moving, but even this went slowly, as more Spawn would quickly fill in empty spots in their eagerness to assault the Digidestined and their partners.

_This is chaos!_ Kari wanted to scream out. _How do we keep going?_

Nefertimon was a major target for the enemy. As she was flying, a good number of Spawn could not follow her into the air; however, the ceiling was low enough that she had to stay fairly close to the mob below, and some of the Spawn with weapons could jump up and reach her. More than once, she swerved in order to dodge a sword blow, or the throw of a javelin that flew upwards.

As a couple Spawn transformed into what were clearly flying serpent-like creatures, and another became a bird with long bladed scales in the place of feathers, Nefertimon shrieked and attempted to fly out of the way. "This is not good!"

Kari aimed her D3 at the pursuers, just as she saw Matt and Tai also aim their digivices as well. Light burst from all of them, and with Kari adding a great deal of power to her attack, the combined effort managed to bring the Spawn crashing back to the ground.

Patamon, being the only one not actively participating in the battle due to his current strength and size, was the one who finally shouted what Kari was sure everyone was thinking.

"This is insane! We can't deal with this, we have to regroup!" his voice pierced above the din of combat.

Below, Tai's brows furrowed. "You're right, there's too many to deal with right now!" he yelled over the raging sounds of the Spawn around them. "We need - "

He suddenly stopped and turned his head backwards, looking somewhere further up the stairs. His eyes widened and immediately a look of determination spread across his face, along with a relieved smile.

"Everyone! Push on up the stairs, room on the right!" he shouted out.

Kari held on tightly as Nefertimon immediately attacked out at a few Spawn, as more of a diversion than to actually destroy them, and then flew up the stairs. Miraculously, nothing transformed and came after them; the digimon managed to make it to the top, landing in front of the open door she saw on the right.

Knowing the others were still blocked from reaching their own location, Kari and Nefertimon both focused on the enemies still swarming the staircase.

"Cat's Eye Beam!"

The attack hit as a line, affecting all in it. The Spawn screamed, trying to pull themselves out of the beam.

Kari took that moment to shoot her own attack into the stairs, a twister of pure light that seemed almost like a fire that lit up the darkness, casting shadows on the walls surrounding the Spawn.

As they evaporated, she saw Garurumon leap up the stairs with Tai and Matt, now that the way had been cleared. He bounded past Nefertimon into the room, his claws screeching against the floor as he skidded to a stop.

Metalgreymon came right behind them. "Get inside!" he yelled, and Nefertimon backed in, watching as the Spawn crawled up the stairs, moving faster as they recovered from the attacks and ready to pounce at those who had dared invade the tower.

The larger digimon blocked off the entrance to the room, swiping forward with a metal claw as a couple Spawn transformed into large insect-like forms covered in armor. Kari gasped as one grabbed onto Metalgreymon's arm; he swatted it away and stabbed forward, his claw breaking the creature's exoskeleton and digging deep into its flesh.

"They're still coming!" he shouted, his armored head looking to the left towards the stairs.

Nefertimon and Garurumon shared a glance.

"Everyone, off!" she ordered, her words echoed by Garurumon.

Without hesitation though with a few worried glances, Kari released Patamon, who flew into the air, and slipped off of Nefertimon's back. At the same time, both Matt and Tai vaulted off of Garurumon, and the three of them sped further into the room.

With that set, Metalgreymon ducked and jumped backwards in, and the other two digimon slammed the door, shut, ignoring the scream of the other insect-formed Spawn as it was trapped in doorway and vaporized away. Then the three of them launched themselves and piled up against the only exit, using their weight to keep it closed as the sounds of moans and shrieks of rage echoed through the wood.

Tai inhaled, catching his breath. "Okay, we're in the tower, we managed to barricade ourselves in a large room, and we need to un-barricade ourselves to get higher. What now?" he asked, standing straight and seeming unsure of what to do next.

Matt gave him a look. "Once we're ready, we un-barricade ourselves obviously. What happened, sir Leader?"

"Oh shut up, I get that. I – ooh, sword!"

Apparently they had barricaded themselves in one of the weapons rooms, and the walls were lined with various instruments of destruction, ranging from swords and spears to even flails and crossbows.

As Tai ran over gleefully, trying out the few he could place his hands on, Kari realized there was only one major problem to this new development – the weapons were meant for digimon, not humans, and so most were too large and heavy for any human to handle.

Matt glanced at the door, still blocked by the digimon sitting against it. "I hope that thing holds..."

Kari just took into note the sounds of the Spawn from beyond the door, screeching and crying out in frustration. Somehow, she knew that despite the digimon and the doorway, they could not be kept at bay for long.

She shook her head. "Anyway, what's the plan now? We can't just keep going the way we have been."

Tai stood up from his search, looking over at the others as a serious expression wiped away his earlier excitement. "Well, we know that Metalgreymon can take out these things with one attack," he spoke, eyes darting to the side as he gazed on in thought. "But he can destroy parts of the building too, and since we're in such closed quarters there's the chance we might get hit too."

Metalgreymon waved a claw from the doorway. "I can let you know when I'm about to attack."

"That'll help," Garurumon replied.

As Tai resumed his search, still obviously thinking about what to do, Matt took a swift look around the room. "Garurumon and Nefertimon can move quickly, and they usually keep us safe when we're with them, but the Spawn move pretty quickly too. When we're up against enemies that can move just as fast or faster than we can..."

"Hey Matt, how good do you think you are at fighting?"

Matt blinked at Tai's sudden question. "Uh, you mean like me, actually fighting?" He experimentally punched the air to emphasize his point.

Tai stood and nodded. "Yeah."

For a moment, Matt paused and stared as something seemed to register in his head. At the same time, Kari looked at Tai's current action of trying to find a weapon, and took into account what she had Tai had been doing on the battlefield when they had been separated from their partners...

_He's not serious, is he? _

"Tai, you've got to be kidding," Matt said incredulously. "This is a bad idea."

Tai shook his head. "No, it'll work. Kari and I were mostly fine when we were away from our partners, if only because Kari was being awesome with her light powers and we both had something to fight with. And I bet that Garurumon and Nefertimon could move faster and fight better if we weren't on their backs all the time. Right guys?" he turned to the digimon, who seemed like they wanted to agree, but were hesitant to do so out of potentially insulting someone.

Matt looked at Kari with a skeptical look on his face, as though needing some sort of confirmation from a sensible person that Tai's idea was insane. Unfortunately for him, Kari was inwardly agreeing.

"As long as we're careful not to hit each other, I think it should be fine," she answered, trying to stay unfazed as she saw Matt's expression change to one of surprise. "And it's best that the three of us stay close to each other if we're fighting."

"I'll back you guys up too," Patamon piped in, his eyes showing that he was more than willing to aid them. "I don't care if I can't digivolve right now and fight with the other digimon, but I'll work with you!"

Tai nodded. "Sounds great. So the humans and Patamon will act as one unit, and the digimon work like they have been, as long as we get warnings when they're about to attack near us."

Matt was still staring at all of them in shock, as though he thought the entire idea would be suicidal. It took a couple moments of the others gazing back for him to finally let out a low laugh.

"I gotta' admit, it's not bad," he answered, scratching his head. "Plus I get to bash something over the head, so I guess that's fine. When did you get so tactical Tai?"

Tai grinned, seeming hopeful despite the madness going on outside. "Izzy. Come on, we hang out with the guy enough, I had to pick something up. Aha!"

He held up a blade nearly as tall as he was, though it resembled a very large knife more than a sword. He grasped it at the handle with both hands, giving it a couple of experimental swings.

Both Kari and Matt stepped back as the swing dragged him in a circle. "Careful with that thing Tai," Matt said out of concern, his eye still on the door. "Anything smaller Kari or me could use?"

Tai looked around, and glanced at the sword he now held. "It looks like there's some stuff, but this was the only thing I saw over here with a handle I could actually wrap my hands around. Keep looking, you might get lucky."

Matt nodded, and made himself busy trying to find something he could use. As Patamon flew over the pile to aid him, Kari joined in as well, glancing every so often at the door, while still thinking about the entire reason they were in this situation in the first place.

_We're wasting time... we need to get going before it's too late..._

Evidently, Matt was thinking the same thing. He wasted no time in rushing past weapons, occasionally picking something up and being forced to drop it. "These things are huge!" he exclaimed, grabbing a sword that looked about the same size as the one Tai had picked up; a moment later he let it go, grimacing.

There was a loud boom from beyond the door.

Metalgreymon groaned. "They must have transformed. We don't have a whole lot of time!"

Kari and Matt glanced at each other. Matt ducked down to continue trying to find something, while Kari clenched a fist. "I think I'll be all right, given what I've been able to do lately," she spoke softly. "I'll help you out, Matt."

He nodded his thanks as he continued to rummage around. He picked up a lance, but only succeeded in lifting its handle off the ground, unable to pull the other end up. "Damn it, if only I was stronger," he cursed in frustration, dropping it and going for the next thing he saw.

A cry took their attention away from the weapons stock. Patamon shrieked in shock as what looked like a huge metallic fist punched its way through the door, spraying wood and splinters everywhere while throwing both Nefertimon and Garurumon back from it, leaving just Metalgreymon holding it shut.

The digimon winced. "It's too late, get ready to fight!"

The other digimon readied themselves into a battle stance, preparing to attack as the enemy burst through. Tai held up his sword, ready to charge into the fight, while Kari held up her D3 in preparation. She looked backwards briefly to see Matt run and grab something –

An explosion hit the door.

Metalgreymon fell forward, nearly toppling over as the barrier between the room and the hallway was demolished. Even as he was forced away and the crazed enemies pounced in, clambering atop broken debris and giving gurgling battle cries, Nefertimon and Garurumon were ready, as they charged directly towards them to counter the attack.

"Cat's Eye Beam!"

"Howling Blaster!"

One of the Spawn made it through the line of defense. It reared up, bent backwards with one arm poised to strike, but someone was a little more than eager to fight against it.

Kari nearly had to stop and stare as Tai rushed forward, swinging his sword before him in a single, curved arc. He let out a yell as it cut into the Spawn, the weight of the sword acting as its own force in moving down and through it completely.

He looked extremely satisfied as it writhed and twisted into nothingness.

"This thing makes me feel powerful," he commented.

Nefertimon took a moment's rest from the battle to gaze at him wearily. "Tai," she began, "You are aware that you have absolutely no training with that weapon and are much more likely to injure yourself?"

He winced. "Yeah, but hey, it works. Let's get going!"

With a motion to Matt telling him to hurry, Tai charged into the oncoming crowd as Metalgreymon began to swipe away at the enemy, clearing space for them to move. Kari followed him, watching as their last human member jumped over metal and wood, something long and metallic in his hand –

"Look out!" came Patamon's shriek from above.

Kari only had enough time to hear a roar that sounded nothing like Metalgreymon, and she barely jumped out of the way as what looked like a jet of fire shoot by.

"This is insane!" she exclaimed, just as she saw Garurumon maul the offending Spawn with his teeth.

The digimon threw the being roughly to the side, and it smashed into the stone wall, vanishing with black smoke. "It's been insane for a while," he growled in response, diving back into the fray to attack more.

Kari ran through the remains of the doors to keep close to Tai. He was waving his sword wildly, managing to slice at the enemies around him if only because the blade was long and he was strong enough to control it. She kept her D3 ready, focusing on her light within so she could also defend her brother when the need arose.

As more Spawn came at them, she threw a blast at the nearest mob and backed herself closer to Tai. She saw Patamon fly overhead, letting out an attack to knock an enemy over; she aimed a beam to finish it off as she saw it begin to morph, letting out a sigh as her attack destroyed it before it could finish.

Tai turned and yelled. "Matt, you got something?"

Matt responded with a shouted "Yes!", still at the entrance to the weapons room. He was busy dealing with the Spawn around him, and was pushed off to the side away from the door and against the wall.

Kari's eyes widened, and she aimed her D3 towards his direction, trying to help him from his predicament so he could rejoin with their group, but paused briefly as she clearly saw a Spawn be thrown backwards away from him, followed by flashes of something metallic. He was apparently handling himself well, moving quickly while accompanied in harmony by the surprisingly sharp thuds of smacks and hits.

Tai had been frozen for a few moments as Matt had encountered difficulty, but with the other boy's seeming control on the situation, nodded instead. "All right. Metalgreymon, destroy the room!"

The digimon turned without question, aiming toward the room they had just spent time barricaded within. "Giga Blaster!"

The missiles flew in, exploding and sending out waves of smoke and the scents of iron and steel. Metalgreymon attacked a couple more times, the noises of falling metal clashing against each other, scraping and creating screeching sounds that pierced through the stone walls.

The moans and shrieks of furious Spawn accompanied the blast.

Kari needed no explanation as to why Tai had ordered that, as it made sense the moment the Spawn reacted to the destruction. _Less weapons for the enemy to use. We really have to thank Izzy for hanging out with Tai._

She aimed her D3 and let a wave of light wash out, knowing it would clear many more of the enemy out of the way. Right now Matt was separated from then, which meant he was at risk by himself, and needed to group with her, Tai, and Patamon soon.

As the beings withered and died, Matt jumped through the holes left in the crowd of Spawn, spinning something and knocking them out of the way with it. With a shout, he broke free of the enemies and made it to where Kari had cleared the area, almost daring any Spawn to attack, and follow.

It was as he managed to make it back to them that they finally saw what it was he had managed to take from the weapons storeroom.

Tai stopped completely and stared at him. "A metal pole?" he stated in disbelief. "Seriously?"

Matt glared back. "It was the first thing I grabbed when the barrier broke. At least it's stronger than your wooden pole."

"But I could stab things with it."

"Talk later!" Kari shrieked at them as she barely managed to sidestep an attack.

They were swamped with Spawn. So many came and charged that Kari was forced to use her light as a shield again, though it was not the same strength as it had been before; the Spawn that touched it reeled away in pain, and others shied away from it, but none were damaged to the same extent as when she put more power in.

Tai was making up for it. Despite it being obvious that he had no combat training from his clumsy swings and lack of good positioning with his feet, he was still controlled with the sword, taking care not to overswing or jab it into the wall. He would slice through any Spawn that neared them, being able to change directions quickly and dodge blows, something that Kari knew had to be a result of his many years of soccer.

Regardless, not everything could miss him.

One of the Spawn, transformed into something humanoid with long spear-like claws, lunged at Tai's back. He yelped and tried to kick it away, but it leaned forward with hungry red eyes –

Matt got there first.

He stabbed forward with the pole, then swung it around in a practiced motion to smack the Spawn in the side of the head. While it reeled back in pain, he quickly switched his grip, bringing the end of the pole down hard from above, using the weight of his body to add force to the attack. To Kari's shock, the Spawn wailed one more time and burst into a cloud of darkness, dissipating away.

He glanced at the pole with satisfaction. "I think I like this."

Another Spawn clawed at him as it transformed, but Matt continued with a one-handed sweeping motion with the pole, successfully knocking it away. It lunged at him, but he twisted his weapon in a circling movement, pushing the creature's arm away with one end and successfully jabbing the other into its forehead, where it too burst into nothingness.

Tai was staring at Matt, wide-eyed. "Where did you learn that?" he shouted out in surprise, just as another large Spawn came lumbering towards them.

Matt sidestepped the being and flipped the pole, bringing it down hard on the creature's head. "When you have a band member who used to take martial arts, likes playing with the mic stands, and occasionally attacks you, you learn a few things," he yelled back in reply.

Tai frowned. "I have to talk to this band member of yours."

_When we get out of this alive_, went unspoken among all of them. _And with all of us._

"Guys, clear!" Metalgreymon's voice boomed.

Kari lifted her head momentarily and saw the digimon facing them, chest plate open and ready to fire. With a nod, she leaped out of the way, falling ungracefully on her stomach out of Metalgreymon's range; she saw Matt and Tai jump out in the other direction, just as two missiles shot into the area and exploded.

She rolled over onto her back and aimed light from her D3 at one of the Spawn that flew at her, just in time to hear Nefertimon call out. Feeling grim satisfaction as the being withered away, she pulled herself to her feet and ran to rejoin Matt and Tai.

"Boom Bubble!"

Patamon was doing his job well. His attack knocked away a Spawn that had been about to swipe at Tai from behind, giving him enough time to turn around and slash at it with his sword. He was fast enough in the air that he could evade most blows from the surrounding enemies; Kari made sure to keep an eye on him so they could protect him when needed.

The four of them were fighting together. Though dealing with enemies separately, more than once Matt would swat away a blow coming at Kari's head, or Tai would slice through something that was chasing Patamon, or Kari would create a shield around all of them that burned the Spawn but allowed for the others to attack without fear of a counter. She had never expected them to have to fight in this manner, but somehow, miraculously, perhaps because of the close bonds they had, it worked.

To her shock, their decision to split up in this manner had benefited them greatly. She realized that the number of Spawn that attacked was decreasing; less came at them, the digimon sounded less concerned and more in control as they continued their assault; she was beginning to think that perhaps finally, they were almost done with this wave of enemies...

It was as a last few tried to make one last stand against the digimon that a merged being in the form of a gargoyle like creature with a large sword rose up snarling at their team of four.

Matt held his pole in a defensive stance, his face looking oddly casual as he gazed at it. "So how goes it Tai, wielder of the mystical giant kitchen knife of doom?"

"It goes well," came Tai's answer, sounding almost playful. "Aside from the, 'I have no idea what I'm doing and will probably get myself killed' part."

It sounded too conversational considering the enemies they were facing and the stakes at hand.

As Tai lunged forward and sliced at the merged Spawn, and Matt swung his pole in a figure eight motion, hitting it twice on both sides of the head, Kari saw the expressions that revealed everything so much more.

Tai was not sweating simply because he was tired. He was sincerely afraid of what was happening, of what might happen, but determined at the same time. Each cut was a mixture of that fear and resolve, as they spoke the same phrase – _I have to keep fighting, because if I don't then someone will die. We'll lose TK. That can't happen. I won't let that happen._

And Matt was both desperate and angry. Kari could almost see the vengeance and rage burning in his eyes, as his hands moved the pole dexterously but attacked and countered the enemy's blows with such force it was apparent he was letting that anger out through the battle.

_His brother. He wants his brother back,_ she thought.

Beside both boys, Patamon was ramming the being with his head and his own attacks, wherever there was a vulnerable spot. When the creature was about to land a hit, Patamon was able to make it pause from the force of the blast he made, allowing either Matt or Tai an opening to strike.

In her own mind's eye, she thought about everything. The other digidestined outside, fighting against these forces of the other realm... the pure darkness that had been streaming from those warps, now being manually closed by Gennai and his associates in the attempt to keep the digital world safe... TK smiling as he placed a hand on her shoulder, telling her that everything was going to be all right...

Something hot churned inside of her. With a cry, she crossed her hands on top of each other, extending her arms forward and pressing her palms out at the being.

Light, spiraling and illuminating everything, rose as a flaming explosion and rushed in to meet with the dark creature. Matt and Tai leaped out of the way as it made contact, and her attack engulfed the merged Spawn, whipping at it like a cyclone of air and twisting it beyond what it could endure. For a brief moment, it screamed and writhed, the only shadowed thing visible within the light, until its form vanished with one final shriek.

Kari felt her face stretch into a satisfied grin that reminded her of her brother. _And that's why we're fighting. Because this isn't just our worlds in danger. This is personal._

As the light faded and the digimon beyond made work of the remnants of the current wave of Spawn, Kari let her body relax. The adrenaline was still running through her body, and she could feel herself almost bursting with energy; it was a strange sensation, but one that she was glad to have at the moment.

Patamon was the first to approach her, Tai and Matt right behind. "Angry, somewhat?" he asked, flapping his wings and looking down at her knowingly.

She smiled serenely at him, a little calmer than she thought she would be. "Just a bit. With good reason though."

Tai just grinned at her proudly, holding his sword over his shoulder, while Matt placed his pole under his arm and clapped appreciatively. "Glad to know we're all thinking the same."

The digimon strode forward, looking a little tired but otherwise seeming in good condition. "Our strategy works pretty well," Garurumon commented, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he panted. "I don't have to worry about you guys falling off, and I know we can all fight to our heart's content."

"That's great," Tai exclaimed. "Let's stick with this as our plan?" At everyone's nods, he smiled determinedly. "All right then, let's keep going.

"Right," everyone else echoed.

Matt pulled himself onto Garurumon, still handling his pole with some experience as he had the grace with it that Tai lacked with his sword. He held it in his left hand and helped Tai up behind him, as the latter carefully balanced the sword to the side so he would not accidentally injure anyone.

As Kari mounted Nefertimon and Patamon flew to land on the digimon's head, Metalgreymon glanced back at them. Seeing that everyone was ready, he began moving across the stone floor of the hall to the next set of stairs at the other end, and the other two digimon followed.

They continued going on. More waves of Spawn would come at them. The humans would dismount and fight together with Patamon, while the digimon battled without restraint, only being cautious so as not to hit their own allies. Then when they had defeated the wave, the humans would remount and they would keep going.

Kari lost track of how many times it happened; she only knew that it seemed endless. They would pass through rooms and halls, destroy rooms of weapons they came across, climb up stairs, leave the interior of the tower in chaos as they stormed through. It felt like luck that they had not been more injuries, or someone had not been gravely hurt... more than once a Spawn would get past their efforts to watch and protect each other, and nearly manage to hit one of them. Sometimes they did.

There was the enemy that had cuffed Tai in the side of the head and almost knocked him out. There was one that had hit Matt, stunning him and leaving him helpless as it lunged back at him, the attack stopped only because Garurumon had thrown another Spawn at it. All three of them sported some light cuts from being slashed at, an onslaught that Nefertimon had had to save them from.

The digimon, though able to fight more effectively, were beginning to look exhausted. Between enemies and waves, they would briefly rest, catching their breaths and staring blankly into space for a few moments, but always continuing on. They knew best, of everyone, that if they wanted to make it to where the entranceway to the Dark Ocean, they had to keep moving and did not have the time to recover. They had to stay in their current digivolved states as well, because if they did return to a weaker form, there was no knowing if they would have the energy to digivolve back.

It was only after far too many stairs climbed and waves of Spawn defeated, and when they noticed a source of light different from the odd glowing smears and runes on the sides of the walls that they paused.

Kari could hear the sounds of explosions and combat, amplified by the stone walls of the stairwell they were currently in. Seeing the others also briefly stop, she motioned to them. "Just a sec, let me see this."

She jumped off Nefertimon, leaving Patamon still sitting on her partner's head, and bounded up to where the light came from – something looked like a slit in the wall illuminating a small patch of the floor. Her heart skipped slightly when she realized the contrast in lighting between the outside and the darkness within the tower; she immediately jumped and pressed her face to the slit to see what was happening on the exterior.

They were high up now, and the battle was still raging. She could see things flying, and mostly masses of black covering what she could see of the ground and filling the sky. She thought she saw a flash of pink and green, and heard a female shout; she pushed herself further into the slit in the wall to look, but the figure was long past them, unable to be seen from the angle. There was too much she was unable to see, that she could only catch glimpses of and speculate the rest, hoping that the burst of flame was Garudamon's offensive attack, or that the flurry of blades would not hit anyone... the only relief she had was that though it was lighter outside, the sun had still not risen.

Tai strode up next to her, having hopped off Garurumon and apparently eager to see what was going on with the others. On the other hand, though he too had dismounted, Matt was clearly exhausted, unused to such physical exertion to the same degree that Tai was. "Damn," he let out a heaving breath as he leaned with one palm against the wall. "What's it like outside?"

Kari took another glance through the slit to the exterior, her heart still pounding. "Still dark out," she reported, "But it's lighter."

Matt let out another long breath, his body sliding down until he came to a rest sitting on the stair. As they gazed at him worriedly, he clenched his fist and sat still as though trying to calm his thoughts and force himself to continue without losing control. Only his shaking shoulders betrayed what must have been a torrential storm within his mind.

A moment later, he pulled himself to his feet.

"Okay, let's get going," he said in a flat, restrained voice that was extremely unlike him.

Without warning, Tai grabbed Matt around the shoulders with one arm and pulled him into a hug. "Hey, it's gonna' be okay," he said softly, but with a tone of assurance. "You don't have to hide that you're freaking out. We'll get him back. We _are_ getting him back."

Matt let out a choked cry. "Okay..." his whispered hoarsely.

For a moment, they stayed like that, trying to believe that the world outside was not crashing in chaos. It was their only reassurance... the hope that they could save everything, despite the enemies they continually fought and whatever it was that had pulled TK into the other realm, beginning the entire nightmare. Everything just seemed far too surreal, and only the scent of blood and sweat, and the constant danger kept them aware of just how much was at stake.

Yet somehow, they still had to believe that in the end, everything would be all right. They would be the victors of the battle and bring _everyone_ home safely.

Then Matt took a deep breath, clenching his pole so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "All right then. We should keep moving... I'll be okay."

Tai released him, keeping one hand on his shoulder in a gesture of concern. Matt smiled and nodded in a silent gesture of gratitude, and with a little more confidence than before, strode back to Garurumon.

As he remounted, he laughed weakly. "It's funny. I got less protective of TK as he got older, and yet now at this point when his life is on the line... my head tells me to run and get to him, but my body won't panic."

Tai pulled himself up and lightly punched his arm. "It means you're a level-headed warrior. You're able to keep yourself thinking and moving without being controlled by your feelings only."

Kari had to smile as she hopped onto Nefertimon.

_Matt, you've changed a lot since our first adventure in the Digiworld. And the last few hours... it's changed all of us, I think..._

They were moving again, the stairs continuing on upwards into the darkness. By this point, the regular shifts of fighting waves of enemies and trying to cover as much ground as possible was fully expected by everyone, so Kari felt a little more at ease, waiting for the telltale sounds of approaching Spawn.

As her mind was slightly clearer and she had a little bit of time to think, she went over the previous encounters and the entire battle. It was something that had been bothering her, especially now that she had been with Tai and Matt for this entire time and had been next to them during each wave. She had noticed it first, when meeting with the rest of the Digidestined after the first part of the battle... and finally, it was becoming apparent.

"Hey guys, I think I've realized something... I don't know why they're doing it, but... the Spawn aren't trying to kill me."

Even though the digimon continued moving, she could tell that everyone had mentally frozen from that statement.

"... really? You... you think so?" Tai asked quietly, seeming concerned.

Kari glanced nervously at the others. "I mean, you must've noticed by now. The Spawn are going after all of you... it feels like they're just trying to keep me busy so I won't get involved."

Matt and Tai shared a look. After a pause, they both gazed at her, the worry in their faces making it evident that the agreed.

"You're right," Tai answered grimly. "I thought something felt a little off. Here, and back on the field when I was with you. But they're definitely trying to fight you more in here."

Kari winced. "They have been attacking me more than they were earlier, but I still don't think they want to kill me..."

"Maybe they're afraid of you?" Patamon quipped, trying to look hopeful.

"But then wouldn't they try to stay away from Metalgreymon since he's an Ultimate?" Matt brought up. "They certainly haven't been doing that."

"Then why..."

A memory suddenly flashed in her mind, one she had pushed away from her thoughts since that day.

It was those dark creatures on the beach of the Dark Ocean, that she now knew were the Spawn, one of them grabbing her and claiming that she was the chosen who would birth their descendants and help them fight against their god...

She could feel her heart pounding as she gazed unfocused at the wall moving by. "I know why," she said quietly.

Kari never liked thinking about her first experience with the Dark Ocean. She always considered herself lucky that TK had managed to come with both Gatomon and Patamon to save her, but for so long she had feared that place.

Somehow, now it was ironic that she was trying with all her might to go back. It was exactly what those of that realm wanted... because then they could finally capture and claim her as their own.

"Kari?"

She glanced at Tai, who along with Matt, was gazing at her worriedly. With a sigh, she looked down.

_So what do I do now? We have to save TK... and the Spawn are trying to make sure that I make it to the Dark Ocean alive, so I can be used in whatever way they want. I can't... I won't... _

_I won't give up._

Kari gave the others a determined smile. "I'll be fine. I've got light on my side... I'll keep fighting, no matter what."

She knew everyone else was confused, but paid it no heed. She realized that perhaps, she should not have even brought up her concerns... because despite everything, she somehow knew that she had to enter the Dark Ocean, because she was the one most suited to deal with what existed in that realm. For once, she had the power to fight back against the darkness, and as long as she could still feel it within her, she would be able to do whatever she could to save TK before it was too late.

"So it's because of your light then?" she heard Tai ask, but it sounded distant.

For a moment, she stayed silent. Then, more out of feeling the need to ease their worrying, she answered, "Kind of. There's more, but I can't explain right now."

That seemed to placate anything that her brother was about to ask. He started, brows furrowed, but his voice seemed to die in his throat. Perhaps he could tell she was uncomfortable with it at the moment.

To her surprise, she heard someone growl. "I wish there was more we could do," Matt sounded frustrated, and there was barely suppressed anger in his normally cool tone. "I mean, Kari, you're practically an Ultimate level digimon when it comes to the strength in your attacks, but Tai and me can barely keep ourselves alive, what with us having almost no actual fighting experience."

"You're doing a good job," Tai answered reassuringly. "I mean, at least you look like you know what you're doing, I'm just wildly swinging around a sword that's almost as big as me..."

Kari shrugged helplessly, but understood exactly why Matt was irritated. He disliked being helpless, especially in a time like this. "Okay then, so if this is the case, how do I share my powers with you? Or the other digimon for that matter? Maybe even help Patamon digivolve?"

"It's fine, we can handle it," Garurumon nodded towards her, as though trying to give her some confidence. "You've been amazing so far, and I'm glad you've been here with us."

"No kidding," Tai smiled, a proud look spreading across his face just as they reached the top of the stairs. "It's so awesome that – oh hell."

The new hallway was teeming with Spawn, many transformed, some with weapons, and several that Kari was absolutely certain were ones that had merged with one another.

They had been waiting for them.

Wordlessly, Kari dismounted, prepared to fight as they had been for the past however many floors they had climbed. Despite the experience she now had, the current group they were facing made her nervous.

She heard two pairs of feet land on the ground, and then steps as the boys came up behind her.

"This looks bad," Matt muttered, glancing at the huge number of Spawn. "How close is the Dark Ocean entrance now, you think?"

As Patamon gently floated down next to her, Kari let her focus wander upwards, feeling through the darkness again. She sensed it strongly, something that, though normally would have given her great concern, filled her heart with hope. "It's not much further, we could make it within the next couple waves."

"Question is, are we making it through this one?"

Kari looked at him, and briefly at his shoulder, where his own blood was now mixed with what she knew was Ken's. It reminded her too well of the danger they faced.

"You know better than me," she said quietly. "We have to."

Metalgreymon had already started attacking, his metal-encased claw striking out at the nearer Spawn while he was able to destroy the larger groups with his Giga Blaster. As Garurumon and Nefertimon dove into the battle, Tai strode up and nodded to the others with him. Together, they began their attack, fighting and supporting each other like they had the entire way through the tower.

They noticed the difference immediately.

Kari screamed as she ducked, a spike lunging forward right where her shoulder had been. Moments later, she found herself curled up on the floor, throwing out blasts of light almost at random as Spawn attacked from all sides, most aiming for her limbs though occasionally something would graze her back. She heard Matt shouting, a cry of pain, then Tai yelling, Patamon attacking, and suddenly she saw her brother fall onto the floor next to her, a giant being that could only be a merged spawn lunging –

To Tai's luck, it fell onto the blade of his outstretched sword. He held his digivice out, blasting it with a burst of light from the screen, just as the tip of Matt's pole slammed into the top of its head. Kari held out her D3 as well, and streams of light flowed out, wrapping the being and twisting until it strangled the creature, making it wither away.

Tai let out a few heaving breaths. "Hi Kari," he panted. "Close call?"

She stood and helped her brother to his feet. "No kidding, this is – aaaaaah!"

Kari immediately shoved Tai to the side, much to his surprise, and rolled away as an humongous axe dropped to the ground where she and Tai had just been standing. The Spawn wielding it gave a loud wailing sound and hefted it back up, swinging it methodically before it.

Matt and Patamon were there. The tip of the pole somehow ended up stabbing the creature in the eye, causing it to reel backwards in pain; Patamon's attack to its hands succeeded in causing it to drop its weapon.

As the two made quick work of the enemy, Kari saw Tai jump back to his feet, nodding a quick thanks for helping him evade the blow. She nodded back, preparing a focused light beam in case something else came up.

She had to fire it immediately as another crowd of Spawn leap into the air to dive at them.

_This is officially insane!_

Tai dove in to pick off the survivors of her attack, but Kari was already trying to catch a glimpse of the other digimon as they fought. She saw a flash of blue and white fur in the midst of black bodies, Nefertimon flying high while trying to evade a volley of bolts and thrown blades, Metalgreymon being assailed from all sides by multiple Spawn she was sure were merged.

Then she sensed something behind her and whirled around with her D3, firing light at the being and kicking it away from her.

A glaive jabbed towards her, and she jumped back, only to feel something sharp poke into her back. She dove to the side, but found herself facing a being swinging a flail, and then there was a sharp, cutting pain on her thigh, and she glanced down to see blood seeping out from a shallow wound, just in time to see the looming shadow of what looked like a spiked club –

Kari rolled out of the way, and surrounded herself with a light shield. "Haa!" she heard herself shout as she sent a wave towards the many Spawn who had almost cornered her, causing them all to fall.

She caught the eyes of the other three with her, and they all seemed to share the same sentiment.

"We can't deal with this," Matt stated bluntly, seemingly speaking for all of them. Kari nodded dumbly, and she saw both Tai and Patamon doing the same.

Then suddenly, Metalgreymon roared.

"Everyone, to me!"

Not wanting to ignore him in favor of doing something that might actually keep them all alive, Kari jumped over the fallen Spawn just as Tai stabbed one for good measure. She spared a glance to her side and saw that Matt was with her; then as Tai caught up, Patamon dodged a flying spear and flew to join their escape.

Metalgreymon came to them. He charged forward, and opened his chest plates in preparation to fire his attack, but unexpectedly reached down with his metal claw.

"Giga Blaster!" he shouted, releasing the missiles while at the same time scooping their group away with the claw. Kari let out a surprised squeal as she was swept off her feet; Matt and Tai yelped, while Patamon simply found himself suddenly being pushed forward by a metal wall behind him; all four found themselves flying through the air, their fall cushioned by Garurumon and Nefertimon, who had arrived there in time.

As the missiles of Metalgreymon's attack exploded, Tai pulled himself to his feet, gaping in bewilderment. "What's - "

"The stairs are clear. Get going! Now!"

Kari immediately jumped and leaped onto Nefertimon's back. She realized it now – there was no way they could fight this wave, not in their condition and with a swiftly descending clock ticking away the seconds until dawn. As Patamon attached himself to her partner's head, she glanced back, seeing the teeming mass of Spawn still beyond, all trying to make their way to their group at the stairs.

Matt mounted Garurumon without hesitation, but Tai stopped briefly, his eyes widening in realization. He turned to gaze at Metalgreymon, his face twisted with fear for his partner as he looked at him again.

"Just go!" Metalgreymon roared, facing the group of enemies formed from the Spawn merging together. "I'll hold them off and catch up!"

Tai grit his teeth. "Be careful."

He pulled himself onto Garurumon, staring ruefully as the digimon reared up with no hesitation and took off up the stairs. Nefertimon followed, launching herself into the air behind him.

It was all Kari could do to keep calm and think about what they should do next. She knew they were close to where they could enter the Dark Ocean – she could feel it – but whether or not they would be safe enough without Metalgreymon was another concern.

Below, the sounds of combat faded as they made their way higher. They passed another slit in the wall, but no one stopped to see what was happening outside; it was brighter than before, and that was all they needed to know how little time they had left. Seeing it frightened Kari; she forced the idea of what the consequence would be out of her mind. They would make it to the Dark Ocean in time. They had to.

She knew Matt was scared of what would occur if they were too late. Patamon, sitting on Nefertimon's head, cut off from TK and unable to feel the bond between them while knowing that his partner was in grave danger, must have been terrified out of his mind at this point.

Suddenly, Garurumon's ears perked up. "I hear... I hear... the Spawn!" he howled in frustration. "They got past Metalgreymon! Either that, or..."

They were silent for a brief moment, and then Tai shook his head. "I can still feel him, he's fine," he answered, glancing backwards as though he could still see his partner. "I guess there were just too many..."

The digimon growled slightly, and kept running.

For a short moment, Kari heard nothing Garurumon's pounding feet and Nefertimon's wingbeats, as they continued to ascend the stairs, but then the low murmur of many voices reached her. It seemed to echo from both above and below, giving the eerie effect of being surrounded by a mass of some consciousness.

She shut her eyes tightly. She knew exactly what they were, the voices of the Spawn from all around, but despite having been fighting them the entire battle, she still felt extremely uncomfortable knowing that they were trying to reach the realm that they originated from.

Then, as she opened her eyes again, she saw the top of the stairs. It came closer as Nefertimon flew, the walls opened up, they were no longer in a spiraling tunnel leading higher and higher...

They had entered a single, empty circular room with nothing else in it... except for another waiting crowd of Spawn.

"Dead end!" Garurumon shouted, skidding to a stop.

Nefertimon landed lightly in preparation to take off once more, glancing backwards. Kari felt a horror fill her senses as they all realized what the implications of this situation was. Enemies in the room ahead, enemies behind, and no way to keep going.

"It's a trap!" she yelled, just as Tai jumped off of Garurumon with his sword at the ready, apparently in preparation to battle once more.

"We have to fight!" he answered, though Kari could tell that even he was beginning to panic. "We don't have a choice..." his eyes widened as he gazed at the top of the stairs. "Oh no..."

The Spawn had from behind had reached them. There were simply too many now, all at once from both directions; Kari felt herself freeze in horror, unable to do anything except stare at their impending doom.

_We are so dead…_

Tai's voice broke into her mind.

"Kari, make a shield, now!"

She snapped back to attention. With focus and the feeling of warmth spreading from within, the light blossomed from her and extending so it surrounded their group from all sides.

It was just in time. The nearing Spawn hit the barrier, many screaming in pain as they did so. Kari pushed more energy into it, thickening the walls and fortifying them against any other attacks the Spawn might attempt through it.

Regardless, she knew she only had enough strength to keep it up for a short time. The fighting had left her tired, and she was beginning to become unsure of how much longer she could last.

"What now?" she shouted, desperate, gazing at the others. Tai had dropped his sword to his side, and he now looked about madly as though trying to think up a solution; Matt seemed stunned into silence, and the digimon padded about restlessly. She knew what everyone was thinking - they were running out of time, and with every second that passed, and no way to see whether dawn had arrived or not, they had no choice but to hurry. And as far as they could tell, there was no further way to continue.

"Hole!"

Everyone's heads turned sharply as Patamon pointed upwards. "There's a big hole in the wall way up there!" he shouted, his wings flapping excitedly.

Kari turned and squinted, still focusing on keeping the shield up. Patamon had been right; there was a large hole in the wall towards the ceiling, perfectly cylindrical as though it were a regularly used tunnel that led in and out of the room. It was too far away for her to see into it, but she knew that Nefertimon would have no difficulty in flying there.

"And I bet that's just fine for the Spawn in here because normally they can just transform and fly," Matt continued thoughtfully, staring. "Garurumon, can you jump that far?"

The digimon nodded in response. "It'll be a stretch, but I can make it. But..."

The Spawn around them were watching closely from outside the shield, restless to attack the beings within. One of them began to morph, its gurgling moans changing slightly into a bird-like shriek, two limbs morphing into grey-feathered wings.

Tai glanced at the rest of the large mob surrounding them, biting his lip. "There are too many of them, and they'll follow us and attack even if we try to go up right away. There's no way we can escape... or we could fight, but that would take a long time, and who knows when we would be able to go higher..."

"So basically," Nefertimon stated, "the moment Kari lets go of the shield, we'll be under assault."

Everyone looked at each other, unsure what to do. Kari knew what was on everyone's minds – their chances of continuing safely, their current safe haven within the shield, the restless mob beyond it, and the time they had left, diminishing by the second. They had to keep going.

For a few moments, Tai was very quiet, staring blankly as though in thought. Then he spoke in a commanding tone, one filled with the authority that he only used as the leader of the Digidestined. "Kari, I want you to get on Garurumon, in front of Matt."

Both Matt and Kari gave him odd looks. "But I'm already on Nefertimon," Kari pointed out.

"I know. Go get on Garurumon."

Sharing a confused glance with her partner, Kari dismounted and hopped to the ground, leaving Patamon hanging onto Nefertimon's head. She quickly strode over to the wolf digimon, where Matt held out a hand and helped her up. She couldn't help but notice that Matt had a strange expression on his face, as though he had realized something horrifying and was trying his best to bite down his personal feelings about it.

As she settled herself in front of him, he turned slightly to look at her brother. "You're sure about this?"

Tai looked away from them. "Yeah, I'm sure."

Matt let out what sounded like a choke. It took a moment for Kari to realize that he was breathing as though trying to hold something back.

Something was going on, and she didn't like it.

Then slowly, Tai stepped towards, bringing his sword up from where it had been by his side. He gripped the handle with both hands, and then stood in what was unmistakably a battle stance.

It hit her and she felt like someone had ripped her in two.

"No!" she screamed, but Matt had already placed his arms around her and was restraining her, stopping her from leaping off Garurumon and dragging her brother back towards them. She struggled against him, but he was too strong for her to break free. "You can't do this Tai! They'll kill you!"

Nefertimon charged, but Garurumon had already shifted and blocked her path forward. With the top of Kari's shield being too low, Nefertimon did not have the room to safely fly over him, especially as Kari and Matt were both mounted on his back. "Move!" she commanded in a raging tone.

Garurumon stayed where he was. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

The sphinx-like digimon reared up on her hind legs, not noticing that Patamon was still hanging on tightly, but looking even more somber than before. "Why are you doing this?" Nefertimon's voice echoed with fury. "Have you and Matt lost your minds?"

Matt gazed at her solemnly, unfazed. "Tai made his choice, and we're respecting it."

"So you'll leave him here as a diversion, where he will likely die, and you're all right with this?"

"I am _not_ all right with this!" Matt shouted, his voice breaking as stress and grief rang with those words.

Nefertimon stepped back, clearly taken aback by the outburst. "But then why would you..."

Kari watched as her partner's eyes strayed from Matt, to Garurumon, and finally landing at some figure beyond them. Silent communication seemed to pass, and she finally bowed in defeat. "I understand."

Kari stared at her partner, and whipped her head around. She saw that Tai had turned slightly, and he had a sad smile on his face.

"Metalgreymon's still out there," he spoke, sounding oddly calm. "I need to stay close. Besides, you noticed that the Spawn were trying to go after us? The humans? I'll act as the bait, which will free you guys up to get to the hole. I'll keep them busy as long as I can."

Kari felt a cry of anguish escape her lips.

"Tai, don't be an idiot!" she screamed, still struggling and unable to escape from Matt's gentle but firm hold. "Don't do this!"

He only looked back at her and waved cheerfully, though the glint in his eyes betrayed something much more serious. "It'll be okay. Trust me. Hey Matt, take care of her for me, and I'll see you guys on your way down with TK."

Matt's gaze connected with Tai's in mutual understanding. "I won't let you down."

Tai nodded as he looked back at the Spawn crowding at the edge of the shield. Silently, Garurumon padded up next to Nefertimon, the two bending their legs in preparation for the leap up.

The brown-haired boy reentered his battle stance, steeling himself for a few moments as he stood there, as the last obstacle between the army of dark creatures and those still journeying towards the top of the tower. Kari wanted to shout at him, but she knew how stubborn he was, and all she saw in that moment was her older brother protecting her, like he always had, ever since she had been born...

Tai's voice held that authoritative edge again.

"Kari, the shield. Let it go."

She shook her head. Even though she was already feeling the strain of keeping it up for so long, and her focus had been marred by Tai's decision, this was something she could not do.

Tai simply turned and looked at her again, smiling as his eyes spoke so much more than his lips could.

"Let it go."

_Let me go. I love you, sis._

She lost her hold on the shield, and the light vanished.

Garurumon and Nefertimon leaped into the air.

As they rose, Kari saw the Spawn follow at first, jumping after them, but they changed directions quickly, their attention caught by the target left behind. They shrieked and dove down at him, and she heard a battle cry as he charged, wielding his sword in an act of resistance against the raging mob...

Garurumon solidly landed in the entrance of the hole. Without another moment of hesitation, he took off down the tunnel, Nefertimon following closely, catching up and flanking him.

Kari let out an anguished cry and made futile attempts to pull herself free. "Stop! Garurumon, stop! Matt, let me go, please, you have to let me go, I can't lose him, he'll die - "

"Kari."

"He's my brother, he's my brother, we can't leave him, let me go, we have to save him, please, he's going to die, he's my brother, Tai, Tai get out of there, Matt we have to go back, please, let me go..."

"Kari!"

She took a couple of gasping breaths, her making eye contact with Nefertimon. The digimon seemed oddly calm now in comparison to before, gazing serenely but with an air of seriousness.

"How are you able to do this?" she whispered, feeling hysterical. "He'll die... he won't make it..."

"Kari..." Matt's voice echoed for the third time.

She could feel the tears streaming down her face as she whirled about to try and face the boy sitting behind her, holding her too tightly for her to escape. "He's your best friend, Matt! He's your best friend, how could you leave him?"

"Because I trust him."

She stared in disbelief. "What?"

Matt nodded, his brows furrowing. Kari suddenly realized that he was shaking slightly. "I trust that he's going to survive, and that he'll pull through like he always has. He knows that Metalgreymon isn't as mobile as either Garurumon or Nefertimon, and that if we're going to make it to the Dark Ocean, he's the one to give us time to get there. And because I trust him, I respect the choice that he made, even if I'm not happy with it because of my own feelings about what might happen. Plus, he knows that if anyone needs to make it to the Dark Ocean to save TK, it's you. And you know how much he's willing to do for you."

Kari was unable to say anything, her body wracked with sobs as she realized Matt was right. She stopped struggling and held onto Garurumon's neck, trying to breathe as she attempted to make herself think sensibly again. But that last image of Tai continued rising in her mind, now etched into her sight as though it were the final time she would ever see her brother... she couldn't stop.

She felt Matt gently hug her from behind. "Kari, I know you want to save everyone, and you want everything to work out perfectly. But that isn't how the world works half the time! Tai knows what he's doing, he's made his choice because he loves you! But at the same time, he's promising that he'll see us again, and knowing him he'll keep that promise to the point where a miracle might as well happen anyway."

Kari silently closed her eyes, feeling the rocking movement of Garurumon running beneath her. _A promise... he's going to fight to see us all again..._

She gripped Garurumon's fur. "I'm so scared... I don't want to lose anyone... I remember so many times when we were in danger... and I always believed in Tai, because he was my brother... and I always had faith in him and his strength. Now, just from everything that's happened..."

Kari turned her head slightly. "I guess I don't really have a choice but to trust him now."

She could hear Matt's smile and nod in his voice. "Well, I'm going to believe in him. I'm going to believe that his courage will keep him strong enough that he survives no matter what happens, and that as my friend he'll have the willpower to keep going so we can all meet up again.

"And as his friend, I have to step it up too. Which means..."

Matt grinned a little sadly. "I'm going to be your temporary big brother, and do everything I can in Tai's place while he can't be here. And this time I won't fail."

Kari was suddenly struck by an image of the last time she had been in the position where Matt had been supposed to protect her. They were hiding in a warehouse as Myotismon searched Odaiba for her, and all the rampaging digimon were attacking the people, all because of who she was, and then when they found her, she finally gave in as she saw her brother's friends attacked, and Matt being strangled with a chain by Phantomon...

She stared at him. "Don't... please don't do anything reckless..."

He smiled weakly. "I'll try not to."

Seeing his attempts to be cheerful reminded Kari of TK too much. Particularly the last few weeks, when TK had already been under the stress of being targeted by the Dark Ocean, he had put up that mask to hide everything from those around him, until it was nearly too late.

Kari gazed at him sternly. "TK wouldn't be happy to see you hurt. I mean it... when I'm saying to not be reckless..."

"I know," he nodded. "But you know older brothers. Sometimes we just don't think when it comes to our siblings being in danger."

The image of Tai, struggling against the Spawn as he tried to look for her, rose unbidden in Kari's mind. She choked back a sob as she thought about her brother, now likely several floors down, and... she shook the next image out of her head, refusing to dwell on it.

_I won't. Be strong like him... believe in him, like Matt does... it's all I can do..._

Matt smiled, and though the saddened expression was still there, Kari could tell it was sincere. "It'll be okay. Besides, TK wouldn't want us to lose hope."

She thought of him, and for a moment, heard his voice in her mind, almost like a conscience, telling her that in the end, everything would work out and not only would they win, but they would go home safely with everyone.

He had always been an optimist.

She nodded, gently placing a hand on Matt's, knowing how much he was going through. "You're right. I guess now, all we can do is believe that everything will be all right."

"It has to be..."

Kari turned and saw Patamon, still sitting on Nefertimon's head. He was staring ahead blankly, his eyes wet and shimmering with tears. She could tell by the loosening of Matt's arms that he too had turned his attention to the smaller digimon.

"Patamon..."

"It has to be okay," he whimpered, letting a drop flow from his eye down the fur of his face. "I don't know what I'd do... I spent so long waiting for him, and we've been through so much now... if, if we didn't get there in time..."

Kari wanted to hug him. She realized... the entire ordeal had been horrible on TK's partner, who, unable to digivolve and fight, and being unlinked from him, now had to be nearly hysterical with anxiety, if any of his previous actions said anything. And if dawn were to come before they reached the Dark Ocean... she was afraid of what Patamon might do in his grief, even more than Matt.

Patamon turned slightly, gazing over at Kari with the tears still flowing from his eyes. "I'm sorry... about Tai... I didn't say anything. I just wanted to get to TK," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the padding of Garurumon's paws and beat of Nefertimon's wings. "I'm such a terrible digimon. It's just that I'm so scared, all I want is to have TK back... am I being selfish?"

From underneath, Nefertimon spoke. "You have the right to be. I would feel the same as you were I in your position. I think I actually did, once upon a time."

Quietly, Kari smiled in understanding. "You don't have to be sorry, Patamon. We'll all try to hope for the best... then, if it all works out, you won't have a reason to be."

He sniffled, but stayed silent. She hoped for his sake that they could reach TK in time.

They were still moving. The tunnel, she realized, was really more of a sloping ramp. They were definitely traveling upwards, the walls still illuminated with those runes and smears, though the runes were quickly becoming more frequent. At the same time, the echoes of feet and wings were all they heard; there were no low murmurs, or pained moans, or high pitched chittering, all the signs of Spawn approaching that they had grown accustomed to.

It was strange, to say the least.

"It's so quiet... we've stopped running into enemies," Kari commented, feeling anxious.

"Yes... it's very suspicious," Nefertimon agreed. "It makes me think that they're planning something."

There was a subtle change in Matt's grip. "Do you think it has anything to do with... that feeling you had about the Spawn trying to leave you alive?"

Kari was about to answer, but the walls of the tunnel suddenly widened just as the floor became rough with steps again. Garurumon's gait changed slightly as he adjusted to running up the stairs, and partially for Matt's sake, she grabbed tightly onto his fur in case he had to suddenly dodge something.

Only a few seconds later, the stairs flattened completely, forming a smooth ground surface that extended into what looked like it might be a cavern or hall of some sort. She could not see too deeply into the room, as the light of the runes was not enough to pierce the darkness from the center and far back of the open space.

Yet somehow, from the feeling of something incredibly sinister and familiar emanated from beyond, she knew without being told that this was the final floor... and their last destination before entering the dark realm.

Garurumon and Nefertimon stood silently at the top of the stairs, gazing into the darkness of the hall. Both seemed prepared for anything that might be waiting, tilting their heads towards each other in recognition that they would be entering combat; they quietly walked in, gazing forward and occasionally to the sides.

Kari gripped Garurumon's fur, feeling the warmth of his body and the strength of the muscle underneath. She could tell he was tense, despite his battle-readiness and instincts honed from fighting; behind her, she felt Matt's arms stiffen as though he too were nervous about what lay in this room. She thought she heard a slight whimper from Patamon, and knew that he felt vulnerable in his current form and state, unable to digivolve without his partner and wanting to fight without holding back any of his strength.

It was Nefertimon who Kari could not read. She padded forward proudly, almost daring something to attack so she could pay it retribution for everything the last couple hours had given.

As they continued further into the darkness, things became more visible. Kari could see shapes and figures that moved, and soon the outlines became clearer, the contrasts between their shifting bodies marking them separate from the lack of light in this area.

At Nefertimon's signal and the echoing sounds of creatures in the darkness before them, they stopped.

The digimon nodded to them, and she wordlessly nodded back. _Get ready._

Matt had finally released her from his arms, and she allowed him to help her off Garurumon. He followed a moment later, gazing solemnly across the room in knowledge that they were nearly at the point where they could finally enter the Dark Ocean. It was what they had been fighting for – the grief, the tears, the blood, the desperation – it had all come down to this entryway.

And as they stood there, Kari felt it as strongly as she had with the earlier warps...the darkness that filled the room, all concentrated from one source.

At the very back of the grand hall, smoky tendrils creeping from it, was an open pair of double doors.

It stood away from the wall, with nothing behind it as though it led to nowhere; however, looking directly into it, Kari could only see a deep ocean of inky black, swirling like a slow whirlpool threatening to pull in whatever surrounded it. Even though the dark stone of the floor adjacent to the door was already without much contrast, it looked faded in color, gradually turning grey the closer to the darkness it was.

Yet she could tell that the power of this door was controlled. Though similar to the warps she and the others had attempted to go through earlier, the darkness here was not threatening to encompass and assimilate whatever dove in; no, this was truly a path, providing a relatively safe journey to the other world... at least in comparison.

There was just one thing blocking them from entering through and finally reaching their goal, something that was now easily seen despite being one with the darkness from the entranceway.

Standing before the door was a huge crowd of Spawn.

It seemed they had all just emerged through the warp, looking eager to fight the small group of tired digimon and humans before it. It was in dire contrast, as they murmured to each other in low tones and the occasional gurgling groan escaped from the mass; they seemed strengthened by the presence of the darkness that streamed from the door, regaling in the power it gave them.

However, what really grabbed Kari's attention was not the giant crowd of enemies, nor the face they felt more dangerous and enriched by their proximity to the door, but the one large dragonesque figure towards the back of it that seemed to have the darkness rolling off of it in droves.

It was different from the others, but only just. While the presence of the Spawn had been that of something unearthly and foreign, a mixture of fear and pity with the feeling of revulsion that came with what they came from, this figure seemed... slightly closer to the digital realm that she was more used to.

But Kari knew that simply because something was from the Digiworld did not mean it was safer than these denizens of the shadowed land. In contrary, she sensed something deeply twisted and steeped in the viscous dark, but with an intense energy that threatened to explode outwards.

She shivered. "That thing in the back..." she said quietly. "Its presence is different. I think it's stronger than everything else..."

Nefertimon visibly winced. "It looks like it too."

Kari shook her head as the enemy began to move. "It's not just that the Spawn merged into something. That thing is... it's like the darkness given digital form..."

For a moment, they were silent as the dragon-like being eyed them almost curiously, as though sizing up an enemy in preparation for an interesting kill. The Spawn surrounding it were waving back and forth as they crawled forward, strengthened by the power seeping from the doorway outwards into the digital realm, seeming more confident and eager to fight. In particular though, they were whispering words and phrases, things that might have been meaningless except for the ones they spoke of.

"Hope... light... ours... the queen, the shield... Lord Dragomon..."

Matt gazed at the doors, somber but with a look of anger in his eyes. Kari knew exactly what it was he felt at that time... the idea of being so close, but yet with one last barrier to their goal, and the one person they needed to save. And with everything that had happened, the fighting, the battles, their comrades...

"I think it's time," he spoke solemnly. "We don't have an Ultimate with us any more. For Tai's sake... for Metalgreymon..."

Garurumon nodded in understanding. "Yes... for our friends... for those we're fighting with, and for those who've been putting their lives on the line..."

Matt smiled, and Kari could faintly see a blue aura around him, just like she had with Tai on the battlefield earlier. "Yeah. It's time."

There was burst of light as Garurumon howled.

"Garurumon, digivolve to... Weregarurumon!"

Together, both giving battle cries and shouts of rage, they dove into battle with claws and metal.

Kari leaped with them. Nefertimon and Patamon came behind her, charging and shouting with primal fury and determination driving them. No longer was this simply for TK, whom they all knew was just beyond the door, trapped in the other realm... it had become a battle fought for the sake of everyone, those outside fighting the evil forces, and two partners far beneath them.

She released that anger as light. It was with her as part of her being, and everything she felt was in it, all the emotions, the trauma, the love she had for those that cared for and surrounded her; she was no longer merely throwing her energy trying to destroy these dark beings. Now she let it emanate from her, causing her body to glow faintly white.

Matt was beside her again, and they were fighting; she could hear his furious cries, the sound of his weapon against the air, the deep thuds as it made contact with the enemies around them. She knew they both missed the heavy swings and enthusiastic voice that had accompanied their journey through the tower to this point, and they covered the hole in the best way they could – by battling with all of their might.

As Patamon pummeled into a Spawn next to her, knocking it over, she glanced back at the door again. That was what they needed to get to, even if they had to fight their way to it.

It was as she was looking that she suddenly saw something that left her feeling cold.

Close to the door, where the darkness was pouring out, she saw Spawn materialize from the ground, pooling into being from the shadows and everything being emitted. She froze in realization as she heard them shriek out in victorious cries, their voices sounding like garbled moans as they sprung away and into the already occurring battle.

She managed to catch Matt's eye, and he stared in horror at the sight. "So that's where they're coming from... this won't ever end, will it?" he shouted in frustration, gritting his teeth.

"Doesn't look like it!" she yelled back, glancing back again at the door. "We can't beat them all, we have to break through!"

He nodded. "Right!"

Together, they ran forward, not bothering to try and defeat every Spawn they came across. If one came up to attack, Matt would swing his pole and knock it away, or Kari would throw a blast at it so that it vanished into nothing. As the enemies grew more numerous, she called Patamon close and surrounded them briefly with a weak light shield, such that those that drew too near reeled back in pain as they were scorched by the thing that hurt them most.

Almost to her surprise, but not quite given what she had noticed during previous fights, the Spawn mostly allowed them through. Some seemed wary of her, edging away from the light, and many others made motions of eager hunger, but there was fairly limited resistance.

She exchanged a glance with Matt, who had apparently noticed the same thing. "This is weird," he said quietly. "Are you sure you'll be okay? Whatever it was you said back there on the stairs."

She never answered, because at that moment Nefertimon flew above them, dodging a rain of arrows and fireballs. Behind her a serpent with wings lashed out with its fangs, shooting out a blast of lightning at her. Kari saw that as she was flying, she was trying to pull something out of one of her front paws, something long and thin that had run completely through.

Weregarurumon jumped over enemies and landed in front of them. "Hurry, we're close!"

They ran forward, following the Ultimate's lead, nearing the door. Something leaped in her chest as she knew that they were almost at their goal, and then they could reach other world and save TK –

The Spawn leaped at them again.

She had no idea why they had waited until now. All she knew was that they were being assailed from all sides, a blade whistling by her ear, a burst of ice going past Matt's leg, Patamon barely evading the creatures around them as they attacked in their great numbers.

And then she recalled the dark draconic creature that they had all noticed at the beginning, as its presence was close to them. It trumpeted a roar that shook the floor, and strode forward, its claws clicking against the stone.

Whatever it was, it had decided to enter the battle.

She saw it leap forward just as Weregarurumon jumped up to dodge another attack. The two collided and fell to the ground, rolling over a few of the less agile Spawn in their wake, kicking and clawing until they came to a stop.

Weregarurumon stood first, lashing out at the being. "Wolf Claw!"

It threw itself across the floor, rolling back up to its feet as the attack completely missed it. "Really, is that the best you can do?" it taunted, brandishing its own claws at him.

Weregarurumon snarled back at it. "I don't have time to listen to you! Garuru Kick!"

Kari had to stop watching, as something that looked vaguely like swirling mess of vines and blades came whirling at her. She jumped backwards, her D3 in front as she let a blast of light out at it, one of the vines whipping at her and missing her face only because she leaned her head backwards.

She heard a clang from the side, and as she sliced her hand through the air, releasing a bladed light wave that cleanly cut the vine spawn in two, she saw that Matt had blocked an overhead sword blow by holding his pole up horizontally with both hands, keeping the sword from reaching his head. He then stepped forward and to the side, twisting the pole and bringing it forcefully down with his left hand, causing the sword to spin out of the Spawn's grip. With one last motion, he jabbed the end of the pole into the creature's face, and it withered into nothing.

"Kari, behind you!"

She whirled around, just in time to see a pink beam blast through the Spawn's chest. Nefertimon swooped by in a salute, nodding as a couple transformed beings chased her in the air.

Kari managed to throw something of a ball of light in her direction, delayed so that it would hit one of her pursuers, just as she heard Patamon shout out and attack something close to her. She turned and sent another bladed wave to destroy the Spawn, something that not only did that, but continued on to bisect those in a line behind it.

Matt was smiling at her as he brought his pole down hard on another Spawn's head. "I'm so glad you're with us," he breathed, nodding as he turned again to deal with the onslaught of something with fangs and metallic limbs.

Somehow in the chaos, Kari managed to catch the view of Weregarurumon biting the dark dragon being's torso. It bellowed in pain and clawed at his neck, causing the digimon to let go to avoid having his throat slit.

The two exchanged blows, blocking and striking back at each other without rest. The digimon swiped with a claw, but the dark being grabbed the entire limb, twisting and hurling him over its shoulder. As Weregarurumon lay briefly for a moment on the floor, the dark dragon creature pounced, its jaws wide open as it aimed for his neck.

He kicked up as he saw it approach, and the being was thrown over him, landing on its feet a short distance away. With a triumphant howl, he launched himself back to his feet, and was madly kicking and punching away, barely giving his foe a moment to rest.

Then in a sudden moment, the dark creature caught a leg, wrenching it forward and causing Weregarurumon to lose his balance.

The digimon fell with a thud, landing on his back. He tried to rise back to his feet, but the dark draconic being reached out with its claws, plunging them into the skin of his chest.

Weregarurumon howled in pain as the creature pulled him up so they were face to face.

"You fight well, but your attempt to save the Child of Hope ends here!" it snarled, baring its teeth and snorting out a breath of putrid air.

It slammed a claw into Weregarurumon's stomach, and hurled him across the room. Kari gasped as the digimon flew over their heads, smashing into the opposite wall and falling to the ground, leaving shattered stone where he had hit.

"Weregarurumon!" she heard Matt shout, but to both their relief, the digimon pulled himself to his feet.

However, immediately he was assailed by a pack of the merged Spawn, attacking him with a series of furious strikes and ripping fangs.

The draconic dark creature stalked forward towards Weregarurumon, heading in a straight path towards it foe. Kari froze in the realization that she and Matt were standing in its way, and tried to move, but a feline roar sounded from beside her, and she had to jump to avoid having her feet clawed out from under her.

For a moment, as she tried to pinpoint the Spawn attacking her, she felt the gaze of this dark monster rest upon her. Then it began to rush forward, the Spawn around it parting so as to allow it quick access to the two humans and tiny digimon flying above them.

She shrieked. It was coming for them, they could not move out of the way, and as far as she knew they were not strong enough to fight it –

Its angle, its snarl, and the way it seemed to nod grinningly with its serrated teeth gave her a sudden horrifying realization, just as it reached them.

It was not trying to attack her, or even Weregarurumon... it was going after Matt.

"Look out!" she screamed to him, and Matt whirled around just in time to sweep the pole against the creature's claw, strong enough to force the limb away. With a growl, it leaped forward to attack.

Kari tried to run towards him, but felt the whoosh of a claw brush past her head. She turned, D3 in hand to aim towards the enemy, but the Spawn in a lion-like figure dove to the side, jumping up to bite.

"Boom Bubble!"

The impact hit its head, and it was deterred long enough for Kari to duck and send a blast of light in its direction. Then she sensed something else coming from behind, and she focused her energy to attack while holding her D3 as a defense against the other, which was pulling itself to its feet and letting out low, guttural hisses at her.

She thought she heard Matt yelling as she held out her hand and let light swirl around her again. It exploded outwards, but only enough to encompass the two enemies she was fighting; Patamon flew and attacked the feline one again, and Kari knew that this one must have been a merging of Spawn, for it was more powerful than the other that was shrieking as it vanished.

Aiming her D3 again, Kari attacked again, using it to channel her energy. She hoped it would be enough; she was beginning to feel the strain of her constant use of her abilities, and was afraid it would not last further into the battle. The creature snarled at her for a moment, at what she held and her attempts to counter it, then bounded back and forth, its jaws open and ready to strike as it neared her.

She yelled as her D3 came alight, shooting a beam through the merged being.

It struck through completely, and it let out a roar mixed with the sound of things choking and gasping for air. As it fell on its side, Kari noticed another presence from the side, and whisked her head around to face it, barely noticing as her previous enemy burst into nothingness.

It was one after another without respite, each Spawn attacking her one or two at a time. It was as though they were purposefully trying to tire her out until she succumbed. Patamon could only do so much, and he too was beginning to sound weary as he fought with her.

Matt was yelling again. Kari turned slightly and realized that he had been fighting the same enemy the entire time; he was limping slightly, and there were light cuts all over his arms and face, as though he had barely managed to dodge multiple clawed strikes. Then Spawn began to leap towards him, and she gasped as she saw him use the pole to swipe out at them, knocking several over but leaving his back open to the dragon-like creature.

"Patamon, go help Matt!" she shouted, hoping her high-pitched voice was clear over the low moans of the enemy surrounding them. She saw the digimon's eyes widen just as she was forced to dodge another attack, feeling something sharp graze against her leg as it missed her. "Now!"

She was rewarded by seeing Patamon fly off in the direction of Matt and the dragon-like creature, shouting out an attack.

Kari heard Weregarurumon growling, kicking enemies out of the way; she saw pink light as Nefertimon flew about the room, attacking and dodging; the Spawn by her gave a wail and launched itself at her, and she barely had enough time to blast it away before it wrapped itself around her.

Even still, the cold, clammy grip of the enemy still gave her an uneasy feeling.

She heard Patamon squeal, and turned to see his small body being thrown across the room. She gasped and tried to run to him, but Nefertimon beat her; the winged digimon was already flying to aid him, still flying in zigzags in her attempts to not let herself be hit.

Then she saw it, even as Weregarurumon did. He howled out, trying to make his way over even as different figures charged at him, biting and tearing at his face and limbs, but he could not make it... she was still dealing with her own enemies that threatened to bind and strangle her, covering her with the darkness they were made from.

A metal pole clattered to the ground.

Matt gasped and tried to pick himself off the floor, but the dark monster was already at him. It snatched him up with a claw, closing around his throat as it shouted out something akin to an enraged laugh. "You pitiful, weak human..."

The creature lifted Matt high off the ground, and slammed him into the stone floor, a sickening crack sounding as his body made impact.

Matt's voice escaped as a choked scream.

Weregarurumon gave a rage-filled howl and spun, flinging off some of the less strong Spawn from him as he leaped forward to combat the dragon-like creature. As it reached down to give Matt the finishing blow, the digimon finally managed to launch himself over the enemies, crashing into it and sending the two of them rolling across the room. Nefertimon rushed to aid the battle, calling out as the dark creature swiped at Weregarurumon's muzzle.

Kari was only able to stop for a moment more to watch her partner's attack divert the blow from Weregarurumon, and desperately returned her attention to the battle before her. She knew she no longer had time; she had to make sure that Matt was all right, and at the very least get him out of harm's way.

She aimed her D3, concentrating on her energy and allowing it to flood from her, not caring about reserving her strength or trying to aim. She just wanted these things gone so the way to Matt would open, and she could be sure that he would be uninjured for both his and TK's sake; she wanted the Spawn gone so they could enter the doors and go through the warp, finally reaching the realm where he was...

Light exploded from her. It was a cascading effect throughout the room, as it first hit in one wave, but then continued as though she were the center of a droplet and the water was expanding in ripples... but for the scale being much greater. The Spawn made gurgling noises as the light washed over them, barely managing to stand before withering away to nothing like those of their kin did.

It was only then as her attack faded and the Spawn around her were gone that she finally managed to turn her full focus to Matt.

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw that he was still unmoving, exactly where he had been thrown.

_Oh no... please say he's okay, he's only out cold, he's fine, he's not hurt..._

Her feet were moving before she realized what was happening. She was rushing towards him, hoping with all her heart that he would be all right, because she simply could not allow anything else to happen, not after everyone outside, not after Tai, not now.

She found herself beside him, kneeling beside his prone body as fear gripped her. Almost afraid, she gently shook his shoulder. "Matt? Matt, say something, please tell me you're all right!"

To her great relief, Matt opened his eyes and gazed blearily at her. "Something," he said quietly, sounding like he was in a great deal of pain. "And I wish I could tell you I'm all right, but... I don't think I am."

He closed his eyes again, and Kari realized that his face was paler than normal, he was gripping his fists tightly, shaking a little, and his breath came out in shallow gasps.

"What's hurting?" she asked fearfully, placing her hands on his shoulder.

He inhaled slowly. "My chest. I think I might have broken some ribs... probably hurt my lungs too... pulmonary something? Ugh, I've been hanging around Joe too much..."

As horrible as the situation was, Kari couldn't help but feel slightly comforted by the fact that Matt was at least well enough to insert a comment like that. Feeling her heart pounding, she glanced around to make sure that no Spawn were nearby, and Weregarurumon still had the attention of the dragon-like being.

"It'll be okay, we're almost there," she spoke quickly, as she saw the digimon deliver a strong kick. "Just hang on..."

Matt grimaced, and Kari realized that he was in no state to even try sitting upright. She shuddered when she thought about everything – injuries, darkness, the raging battle going on outside, the other realm, her brother, how much was at stake... she clenched a fist in frustration.

_We're so close... but how are we going to deal with this later? Matt needs help... TK needs help... there's so much darkness here... what do we do now? _

She felt the presence of a dark being nearby, and she wordlessly blasted it away with light from her D3. She thought she heard Nefertimon shout out to defend them from an oncoming wave of more Spawn, but was only half aware of everything going on around her. Looking downwards into Matt's face again, her heart pounded as she saw his eyes begin to lose focus, and his breathing sounded more strained.

Kari realized that he was likely about to fall unconscious.

"Matt, look at me, don't pass out, just focus... we're getting through that door, we're getting TK back, just don't give up now," she placed her hands on his shoulders. She realized she was babbling, the words falling from her mouth as it became more and more real to her that she could not leave him alone, and that he needed medical attention immediately.

Then somehow, without quite meaning to, she felt the light within her come alive.

A gentle pink aura lit her hands, and from there travelled across Matt's body. Within moments he was surrounded by its warm glow, as it illuminated him in sharp contrast to the darkness of the room and the beings within it.

Matt himself was staring through the light, looking both surprised and slightly mesmerized as though he had no idea what to expect but did not mind whatever it was that Kari was doing to him. Kari herself had no idea what was happening, but as far as she could tell there was no more harm being caused...

Then as quickly as it had come, the aura faded away.

And Kari suddenly realized that Matt's breathing had eased... it no longer came out as weak gasps, some of the color had returned to his face...

"Matt?"

He made no attempt to sit up, but he took a couple of deep breaths, coughing on the second. Despite that, he seemed less in pain, as he looked around with eyes that were now much more alert than they had only moments before.

He let out a surprised sigh. "I feel better... I don't think I should be running, but I could maybe stand..."

Kari's eyes widened. "What just happened?"

Matt was not quite paying attention to her statement as he stared at her in wonder, a smile forming on his face.

"Healing..." he mused. "That's different from what you've been doing up 'til now."

Kari looked down at her hands, unsure of what to think. She knew Matt was still not in good condition, but he had clearly recovered somewhat...

"What do you think this means?" she asked, feeling something rise inside her.

He sat up, gazing with a more hopeful demeanor as his face lit up. "It means that right now, you've saved me, and it'll definitely help TK. Come on, let's get to the door!"

Kari lent him a hand and helped him to his feet. He took a couple of shaky steps; Kari had to support him as he grimaced and held his chest.

She stared at him in horror. "Matt, take it easy, you're not all healed!"

He coughed as though something in his lungs were constricting his breathing. "Yeah... I'm not..."

Kari moved to try and focus her energy into him again. However, just as she placed a hand on Matt's chest, he gently pushed it aside. "No, save it."

"Wh-why? You're hurt!"

He gazed at her sadly. "I'll be fine, I'll live," he spoke, his eyes darting towards the open door. "But... I just have this weird feeling... someone else needs it more."

Kari looked at the door as well. The darkness was still streaming out of it, smoky tendrils lapping at the edges between it and what was still the world of light. She could feel it spreading more, empowering the Spawn they fought and that creature, that thing that was neither Spawn nor digimon, but something in between.

And without warning, she suddenly thought she felt the vibrations of a human scream.

Matt gasped and clutched at his chest. He gazed up in terror at Kari, seeming just as shaken as she inwardly felt. Without another hesitation, he grabbed her hand and raced towards the door, motioning to their partners and Patamon as they went –

And he suddenly choked, coughing as he covered his mouth with both hands, falling to his knees.

It subsided just as Nefertimon and Patamon were making their way towards to them, Weregarurumon kicking away a few Spawn and being forced to defend another attack from the larger dark monster. Matt slowly took his hands from his mouth, staring in horror and swearing.

Kari inhaled sharply as she saw deep red splattered across his palms. She gripped him by the shoulder. "Matt! Let me - "

"No!" he shouted, pushing her away. "Go now! He needs you!"

"But - " Kari started, staring at him.

"Just go!" he yelled once more, motioning her towards the wide open door. "And bring him back," he added hoarsely, nodding with a sad smile as desperation filled his face.

She spared one more look at Matt, watching for only a moment as he began coughing again. As Weregarurumon pushed away the dark being, giving him enough time to look back and widen his eyes at the sight of his partner, Kari stepped back, giving him a fearful look. She could only hope that he survived...

Nefertimon landed next to her. "Let's go," she panted, glancing at the room in concern as Patamon landed on her head, gripping so tightly that he shook.

Kari nodded and quickly mounted. She had nothing she could say. Tai and Metalgreymon had given themselves for the sake of making it to the top of the tower. Matt and Weregarurumon were giving them time to get in through the door.

She shut her eyes tightly, holding back tears as she felt Nefertimon take off. Now was not the time. It would all be for naught if they could not complete this. Kari clenched her fist, shaking as she thought about everything. They had to make it in time.

Nefertimon dove in.

Everything warped as a multitude of colors swirled around, growing gradually dimmer and reaching a more grey shade. Kari was aware of the darkness that poured through and past her, as though she were diving into water and the pressure was growing greater the further they went. They were surrounded, she, Patamon, and Nefertimon, pressed in from all sides as they continued forward in their attempt to enter the Dark Ocean.

It was as the darkness circled them that she suddenly felt a very familiar presence, one that felt like a foreign beacon in the midst of all the thick fog and viscous water-like air.

_Is that... please say it is..._

The darkness was trying to pull them somewhere else, somewhere it was strong and would easily smother a small source of light. But Kari focused on that one presence, its warmth and intimacy that she knew so well, and mentally tried to reach for it.

She could feel Nefertimon react in the same way, as though through a bond they both knew which way to go in this tunnel to the dark realm. Together, they followed that path, refusing to let the darkness pull them away from that one aim, their target they would not go astray from. It was the reason they had come to the tower, fought on that battlefield, made their way through its interior, dived into this sea of never ending black...

Kari suddenly felt her heart freeze. That presence was weakening, and she thought she could even feel a mixture of pain and despair...

_Come on, we have to make it... we're almost there, just hold on!_

She heard Patamon let out a cry, and she doubled her efforts to focus. They were so close, they could not give up now...

And suddenly the darkness gave way.

The air hummed with energy, but it was not pleasant; a sickening feeling spread through her, and she almost choked in revulsion from the multitude of shadows and the strength of what she realized was the power of the Dark Ocean. She never thought she would have ever had to return here.

They had made it.

And yet...

It was one presence that drove her to regain her sanity in this forsaken place. The one presence that was dying, that was standing waist deep in black water tinted red, that was fading as the sea water rose higher, that everything was circling around.

Then as that presence fell unmoving into the water, Kari heard her own scream echo with Patamon's. Nefertimon dove from the sky, uncaring that the dark ones were watching, as Kari's entire mind whirled with thoughts only to save this one person, the one they had been fighting for.

And as her voice sounded into the atmosphere and she leaped off of Nefertimon, she felt the blinding light burst from her and swirl into the air, warmth overpowering everything as she plummeted to the water.

"TK!"


	16. Rescue

A/N: *gasps* Finally finished this chapter. I had run into the same problem with chapter as I had with 'Ritual' - scenes had been thought out and planned, but the writing and the emotional intensity was very difficult to write. Once it came down to the action sequences, it became way easier. Huh... funny how that works...

But anyway, finally finished this chapter. There's two more to go - so it's not quite over yet! And involving the end of the chapter and how the battle turns out... yes, that was how I planned it from the very beginning. And there is most definitely going to be a sequel. I don't know when I'll write it, as I have a few other project ideas going, but it will happen. Hopefully it'll go a little faster than this story did.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy. The end is near!

* * *

_**Rescue**_

It was that light... full of warmth and caring, something that he had missed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he suddenly aware that there was feeling in the world, like the cold of the water still pushing him back and forth, but there was something else now. He thought that he could sense the individual fingers of a hand, gripping his body as though desperate not to lose him, hot in contrast to the chill of the sea.

Pain still radiated from his wrists, but it was lessening, fading away as everything he could feel became clearer and stark against his skin. The sharpness of the cuffs still threatened to cut into him, but that was less urgent as opposed to the fact that, as he realized with his mind regaining its ability to think objectively, he was seemingly alive. In fact, the slight twinges were only a reminder he was awake and aware of everything.

The scent of blood was strong, but his mouth gulped in life giving air without hesitation, both his lips and nose burning with harsh seawater still left. The wind against his face felt cold as well, blowing at his drenched being and leaving behind traces of salt and iron, but the chill that ran through his body as a result pulled him even more towards full consciousness.

And suddenly, he realized there was an arm behind his neck, supporting his head and holding his upper half above the waves, while a hand pressed gently into his chest, the warmth spreading from it into the rest of his body. At the same time, he heard voices, familiar and welcomed, calling to him urgently from directly above.

"TK! Come on, please be okay, you've got to be okay!"

_I know that voice..._

"Wake up! Say something, please!"

_And that's... that's impossible, but it is - _

His eyes shot open.

"Kari!"

TK flailed weakly, splashing water and kicking his legs as he tried to pull himself upright. But despite that and how light-headed he felt, only a few things registered in his mind.

_Kari. Kari's here. I'm not dead. I'm alive. I'm actually alive. _

She let out a sob and embraced his wet body, hugging him tightly. At the same time, a small furry figure collided with his head, holding on with small paws that seemed afraid to let go for fear of losing him.

The reality of everything hit him at once, but he was too busy trying to comprehend everything. As his senses flooded him with information, all giving him distinct reminders that his heart still beat, blood remained in his body, and that he was fully aware again as a living being.

"Kari... Patamon..." he whispered hoarsely, coughing a bit as he felt the leftover stinging sensation of water in his throat. "You're here... with me... I can't believe it..."

From what he could tell, they had fought hard to reach to him. He could feel Patamon's body shivering but emanating with heat, as though he had expended a great amount of energy through some sort of physical activity; Kari looked worn and tired, her clothes ripped in places and her slightly flushed skin marred with cuts and bruises. She was covered in grime and dirt, and the half of her body not in the water was damp with sweat; as he stared into her suddenly aged eyes, he realized the lengths that she and the others must have gone. He recalled the words passed between Daemon and one of his commanders – where Ken had been injured, and Tai nearly killed. It made him appreciate even more the battle he knew was still raging beyond the realm.

To his surprise, the pain in him was nearly gone, leaving only gentle aches in his wrists and left shoulder as any indication that they had been hurt. He recalled the light from earlier, the warmth flooding through him and the hand against his chest, and the revelation hit him, the gratitude growing even more.

_Kari... it was you. The reason I'm alive is because of you._

The feeling of her arms and warmth around him was more than enough. His spirit was elated; he could not remember a time when he had been more happy and thankful to be alive, with two of those he cared about most with him. He wanted to hug Kari and Patamon, never letting them go, even if it were that they were standing waist-deep in red-tinted waves.

But something felt wrong. It nagged at the back of his mind, as though he had known this and had lost sight of it in the most recent events, buried by everything that had happened. He briefly wracked his mind, thinking back to stone walls and chains, and a foreboding digimon standing above him tauntingly, lunging forward with an outstretched claw -

His eyes widened in horror.

"Kari, you've got to get out of here, Daemon and Dragomon are after you," he breathed, panic beginning to set into him. He glanced up towards the top of the cliff; no longer were there the deep voices of ritual chanting, but instead battle cries and shouts of both chaos and anger. From the single female voice he heard from above, he could guess that it was likely Nefertimon, attacking as a diversion while Kari and Patamon helped him. "Dragomon wants you for himself, he's controlling the water, he's got to know you're here, Daemon set this as a trap, you need to escape - "

Kari gripped him firmly by the shoulders, gazing at him with conviction. "We're not leaving here without you. Let's get you out of the water."

She moved her hands down his arm as though to lift it around her so she could better support him, but TK felt her stop abruptly at his wrist. For a brief moment, she felt around it, her face frozen in a neutral expression, but quickly twisting into one of horror. "Wh... what is..."

He grit his teeth, almost afraid to show her, knowing that she and Patamon must have been unable to see as he had been under the water. But after everything, the despair and desperation, he knew he needed help if he wanted to live. In silence, he lifted his hands out of waves, exposing his cuffed wrists to the ocean air once more, the chains dragged upwards with them. To his dismay, he saw a slight trickle of red drip from between metal and skin, sliding down the links into the sea.

From atop TK's head, Patamon let out a horrified squeal. Kari barely stifled a scream, her face paling as she covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes shifting as they followed the droplets of blood.

"The darkness..." she whispered hoarsely, barely audible over the sounds of crashing water and battling digimon. She took her hand from her mouth and, almost both timid and afraid, touched the metal cuff.

Then she abruptly turned to him, her face pale and panicked. "How do we stop this...?" her voice was low and barely controlled. "TK, how do we stop this?"

It took a moment for him to realize that aside from what was happening physically, she could tell what was happening to him - the dark force, the gradual loss of his own energy, and everything surrounding it. With a solemn, despaired look, he gazed straight into her eyes.

"I don't know."

He bit down the urge to cry out at the unfairness of it all. For all his hope and despair, for everything that had happened, somehow the miracle had occurred and his savior was right before him; yet though he was alive at the moment, he had no idea how to actually stop the ritual and break his connection to the darkness feeding into the fabric of the Dark Ocean. He could easily still die regardless of everything... and if Kari was captured, then hope might as well truly be lost.

Taking a breath to calm himself, he took her by the shoulders, nodding a little to make sure Patamon knew he was being addressed as well. "Listen, if I don't make it back," he began, trying to control his own voice and the emotions threatening to spill out, "You need to tell this to everyone. Daemon's here, and he's got power over the Spawn. But it's really the digimon who rules here that you need to watch out for. Dragomon. He's the one that transformed this place from a peaceful sea with its own population of digimon into what it is now, covering it in the corrupted darkness, and he'll do the same to our world if he gets through."

"TK - "

He ignored Patamon's voice, continuing as though he had not heard, though it pained him to do so. "Dragomon's the one in control of the Spawn, and he's allied with Daemon. He controls everything – even the water we're standing in right now, which is why you need to get out of it Kari, because he knows you're here, and he wants you for himself as his queen. You can't let him reach into our world and do to it what he did to this place. From what I heard, it used to be a beautiful place full of life; you have to protect our world, okay?"

Kari was staring at him, almost helplessly but wanting to interrupt. He knew she was going to object; he did not want to tell her that everything might very well be in vain. He continued on regardless.

"Tell everyone I'm sorry," he spoke with a tone of finality, knowing that his voice broke as he did. "Tell Matt and my parents that I love them - "

"Tell them yourself!"

Kari cut him off, looking almost... angry?

"We haven't fought this long just to leave you. Everyone's been fighting back in the Digiworld to get you back. They're waiting for us. To see you again! To make sure you're back with us, safe and sound, because we care about you! I know that whatever's happened in this world must have been terrible, and it changed you, because the TK I know would fight to the end, and have the hope that we would survive and win. I'm scared out of my mind for everyone, and this world doesn't help, but somehow seeing you here, alive, is enough to tell me that we can make it through this! I believe we can! And I know you have the hope that we can too – believe in it! So we're going to get you free and escape from this realm, go back to the Digiworld, and then win that battle, and in the end we'll all be together and safe, including you."

She angrily grabbed at one of the cuffs on his wrist. "And the first thing we need to do is get these things off."

TK had no reply, except for a sad sigh as he realized just how despaired he had become. He realized though, that with everything that had occurred in the last several hours, it would have been difficult for him to stay fully optimistic.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, looking down and not meeting her eyes, though the sight of her hands on his arm filled his vision instead. "After everything that's happened... it was hard to believe that everything would be all right."

She smiled sadly. "It's okay. I can understand why... and you can tell me about it when we're back home. Is there any way to unlock these?" she then asked quietly in reference to the cuffs, gently turning his hand over as she looked, as though she knew that any rough treatment might reopen TK's wounds.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I was trying earlier."

She began feeling over the metal, apparently looking for some way to remove them. "Well, if we can't unlock them, we'll break them off. Hopefully Nefertimon can hold out; the darkness is strong up there on the cliff."

TK winced. "That would be the Spawn and Daemon... and whatever those robed beings are."

Patamon squeaked. "Daemon? He's a mega... Nefertimon doesn't stand a chance!"

Kari shuddered as she looked up the cliff and back to TK. "We have to be fast then – we'll free you and get out of here."

TK was a bit taken aback by her readiness to take the risk in order to make sure he was safe. "But... the Spawn, the darkness - " he tried weakly.

Kari gazed into his eyes, afraid but determined. "Listen, I know that the Spawn and whoever's in charge – Dragomon, right? I know they want me. The battle to get here made that clear. It doesn't matter. We came here for you, and we're not leaving unless we have you safe with us."

"Yeah," Patamon lifted off of TK's head and dove into his arms, burying his head in his chest. "We're getting you out of here. Everything's going to be all right."

_They came here for me... there was hope after all... _

_That hope called light._

TK suddenly felt a jolt run through his body, starting from where he could feel Patamon and branching out into his limbs. He yelped in surprise, just as the smaller digimon he held did the same; it was almost as though a spark of electricity were running through both of them, a familiar energy coiling through everything, as the feeling of emptiness within was complete and filled.

And suddenly, it felt like the world stopped as his D3 glowed on its own.

Patamon reacted on his own. He jumped out of TK's arms, light surrounding his body in a matrix formation that they all knew well.

"Patamon warp digivolve to... MagnaAngemon!"

The digimon's winged form was one none of them had seen too recently, but TK was more than relieved and overjoyed to see it. The feeling within of that severed connection was gone, replaced by something that made him feel whole; what had been destroyed in his capture by Daemon had been restored.

"The bond... it's back..." MagnaAngemon spoke softly, gazing in awe at his partner.

TK had to smile. "And hope still lives in us."

A female scream suddenly echoed from above. The three of them turned sharply towards the source, up on the cliff beyond the water. "Nefertimon..." Kari gasped softly, in realization of what was happening above.

MagnaAngemon and TK nodded to each other in full understanding. With determination and knowing what had to be done, TK spoke with determination.

"Go!"

The digimon rose up, his wings spread wide as he flew upwards to meet his adversary, the one who had been the cause of so much of his partner's misery. It gave TK an inner wave of inspiration to see him, the freedom of flight in his heart and the lifting of what felt like the burden of his fate placed upon him hours earlier.

_We have a chance._

MagnaAngemon roared out as he charged. TK could not see exactly what was happening, but he caught the shrieks of the Spawn, louder yells of shock, and Daemon screaming out what seemed to be a mixture of orders and attacks. He heard the clang of metal against metal, and more shouts as the battle raged. Briefly, he saw the digimon rise up into the air, drawing a large circle in the air – but Daemon shot out an attack of shaded hellfire, interrupting the creation and opening of the gate; then they were out of sight again, and the light from the explosions were all he could see.

With MagnaAngemon distracting Daemon and the other dark ones, Nefertimon allowed herself to remove herself from direct combat and come down to rest for a few moments, perching herself on the steps. "Kari!" she shouted, turning her head slightly up towards where the demon and the angel battled in the air. "I need to be Angewomon to better aid and fight here!"

Kari nodded. "Got it. I'm sure we can digivolve to that point by now. And help me with TK!" she added as Nefertimon reverted back to Gatomon.

The cat-like digimon jumped forward, landing neatly on Kari's shoulder without touching the water. With a cry, she dove at the cuffs.

"Lightning Paw!"

There was the sound of Gatomon's claws screeching against the metal; TK and Kari both winced slightly, but gazed in growing horror as they saw the cuffs perfectly intact without a scratch.

Gatomon fell with a splash into the sea, quickly kicking back to the surface and gasping. "It didn't break?" she stared, paddling and struggling a little to keep her head above the surface.

The water suddenly seemed to roar with a shadowed fury. A large, violent wave formed from the angry ocean, filled with a rage that TK could feel vibrating in the water itself, and he knew at that moment of the corrupted darkness and the will mixed within the sea itself.

"Look out!" he cried.

He barely heard Kari's gasp and Gatomon's shriek as the world collapsed atop them with a roar.

And he was underwater again, but this time he was clearly under the waves, and having been healed by Kari's light, he was now fully conscious whereas he had been unable to recognize what was happening to him earlier. The current pulled him with their flow, and he helplessly went with the water. But the chains kept him from moving far; he choked as the sharp edges inside the cuff tore against his skin while the water pulled against the rest of his body.

Jostled about with no control over how his body was being moved, TK flailed about wildly, trying to push up towards where he could see the barest glimmer from above. He thought he saw a great flash of light from off to the side, but his mind was panicking, he was straining against the chains despite the feeling of something ripping, and –

His head broke the surface.

He gulped in the air as he coughed up water, shaking his head and releasing droplets all over. As he blinked the salt from his eyes, he saw that the sea level had risen; now his chest was covered, and pain shot up his arms from his wrists.

A hand placed itself on the core of his back, and he felt warmth flood through him again.

"K-Kari?" he asked, still choking though the pain was lessening considerably.

She nodded, coming around him slightly so he could see her. TK noted that she seemed slightly higher than him, apparently standing on her toes to stay above the waves, something it hurt for him to do with the sharp edged cuffs still on. Her hair clung to her head; like him, she had been underwater.

"What now?" she shouted fearfully, staring at the horizon where another wave was already beginning to form.

TK looked around wildly, trying to think of some answer. He saw a bright source of light; whirling his head to the side, he gazed in awe as Angewomon floated in the air above the water, having apparently digivolved in response to everything, but clearly at a loss for what to do aside from aid MagnaAngemon.

The water level was still rising. Smaller waves, rippling off of one great one that was forming in the horizon, flowed past them, each one a little higher than the one before. His mind was thinking faster than ever, moved by the knowledge that if he could not remove himself from the water, he would soon be dead, but he could not leave unless he were free.

He looked briefly at Kari, then up at Angewomon, who had begun flying in what were unmistakably evasion maneuvers. He saw a flying dragon creature charge at her from the cliff, and he knew she was now being attacked once more; he heard MagnaAngemon's shout of rage as he battled just out of sight, and there was a flash of light, almost blinding in the darkness of the world.

His attention came back to Kari as she held up his wrist. She glared at the cuff, as though she were willing it to break apart and dissolve at that moment. Then to his utter surprise, she lifted a hand over it.

Light burst from her hand, striking the metal with hot, searing clash of sparks as the darkness inherent in it tried to fight back. The heat and light vanished almost immediately, but the cuff showed a slight change – the surface where the light had hit glowed slightly, surrounded by the red of corrosion.

He stared. "...Kari, how did you...?"

"I don't know," she answered, feeling the metal with careful fingers. "We think it's from being close to the darkness. Light had to strengthen to match it."

She looked downcast. "Apparently, not enough to break these off though."

"Incoming!" Angewomon screamed from above.

TK barely had enough time to feel the swell of water around him and sharply turn to look before the next giant wave crashed on top of them again. He felt the furious sea rush around him, buffeting him and jostling his body in all directions, held only in place by the cuffs around his wrists. He involuntarily screamed as he felt the skin rip, but the salt burned in his throat and water flowed freely through his mouth and nose into his lungs. Instinctively, his body tried to draw breath, but there was no air, only the ever encompassing ocean filled with the power of Dragomon's darkness.

Like before, the loss of control affected him, his nose burned from the saltwater forced into him, and he felt the skin at his wrists tear again, but he had to fight. There was hope again, seeing that metal corroded, and if only there was the time for it to completely erode away so he could swim free...

He kept his mouth closed, and as the water grew calmer he kicked upwards. As the chains grew taut, his head barely made it to the surface – and then the wave had passed, and he could feel the air hitting his face again, but his tip of his shoes barely touched the sand below.

He shook the droplets from his face and eyes and saw that Kari was treading water now, and had been forced towards the cliff, closer to shore. The panic was visible on her face as she gazed at him, trying to stay above the waves; he looked back, knowing that the smaller waves continued to keep the tide rising. He could feel the sensation of the twisted, corrupted darkness flowing through each one, as though Dragomon were still attempting to complete the ritual... and from the pain that had returned to his wrists, he was succeeding.

Kari swam to him and grasped his shoulder, pouring her healing light into him again. He breathed as the pain faded, but had to tilt his head as another small wave rippled by in order to keep his mouth above it. "I'll try to break the chains off!" she shouted, and TK could tell she was desperate that it would work in time. "You'll have to hold your breath!"

TK nodded, but interjected in. "Wait, get Angewomon too."

Her eyes widened. "That'll... what if...?"

He figured that if Angewomon was Kari's partner and shared some of the ability in light, perhaps that would be enough to break him free. "We'll trust that she doesn't miss. It has to work!" he replied, as he turned his attention to the sky. "Angewomon!"

The digimon dispatched another of the Spawn that had flown up at her. "What is it?"

"Angewomon!" he shouted upwards at her. "Use your light arrows! Aim at the chains!"

She stared at him in response. "But I might hit you!"

"It doesn't matter!" he answered, feeling panic set in as he saw another large wave form in the distance, speeding towards them. "Kari, you attack at the same time!"

She grit her teeth and nodded, understanding the necessity but not knowing if it would be enough...

"You can do it!" he yelled, trying to sound encouraging, but straining to keep his head above the water while the chains pulled him to the ground.

Then the wave had come, and he was beneath the surface once again. It was more furious than before, and the current pulled him along with it, against the chains; he strained to keep his mouth closed, keep his wits about him and make it past this moment of chaos and the pain as his wounds were reopened, but his breath escaped through his nose; the darkness was there too, still trying to pull his life from him, and with his regained hope, he had to fight it, pushing it away while trying to grasp onto what he still had.

But physically, as the waves tossed him about in the whirlpool of water, bubbles and sea foam swirling around him as he stayed trapped in place, he could barely take in everything that was happening. He kicked upwards again, feeling the energy of the wave pass as the water calmed –

The chains grew taut, his wrists bled, and he could see the sky reflected through the waves, but he could no longer reach the surface.

Fully aware and having had the taste of freedom, his mind roiled in chaos, with the implication of what was happening. He continued to hold his breath and look around wildly to see where Kari was. It was still too dark to see clearly, and the particles mixed into the water made visibility difficult. He could sense she was nearby, but had been tossed further by the waves, and was trying to make her way back.

But then he felt the need to breathe, and he felt his chest convulse in an effort to do so. The earlier wave had taken too much out of him, playing with him like a battered toy and forcing the life from him. Then he lost control as his body won out against his will, and the water and darkness was everywhere within him, flowing down his throat; he was both swallowing and trying to breathe it, and he thrashed about in a vain attempt to swim to the surface, only there was no way he could because he was chained down...

Then arms wrapped around him again, holding him still. He wanted to flail and resist, but the warmth and light he felt from the figure was calming, as though allowing a sense of peace to flow gently through. Even if he could not breathe, and his body was struggling on its own in an attempt to do everything in its power to keep him alive, it was that presence...

_Kari..._

Arrows of light rained from above, piercing through the water and striking precisely at the dark metal that kept him bound.

In that moment, as he heard the clank of breaking chains and felt something searing hot at his wrists, the warmth spread through him, and he embraced it, letting it wash away all the cold and taint from his body. The pain was gone, and the light filled him with a sense of peace, as though everything in the world had been righted, and in it, he knew who it was who kept him bound to life, and he felt her as she pushed upwards, carrying him with her...

Water gave way to air. TK gasped, breathing in deeply as he held Kari closely to him, aware of how close he had come to drowning. For a moment they stayed there, treading water and trying to come to terms with what had just occurred and what might have happened, thankful that both of them were above the water, not only one.

Then, wordlessly, they swam for the stairs leading up to the cliff top.

Both of them could feel Dragomon's power in the ocean, and knew they had to leave the water immediately. Words could wait; the knowledge that TK had survived and they were one step closer to making it through this nightmare was enough for the moment.

They reached the stairs before the next large wave could crash. TK allowed himself to collapse, lying on the steps as he gulped the precious air, more thankful to be alive than he ever had. Kari fell beside him, one hand gripping his shirt as though still afraid to lose him.

"You did it," he breathed, smiling as he touched her hand. "You're so amazing... you saved me... thank you..."

She brought her other hand to the first, sitting up as she gazed at him. "You being alive and here next to me is the only thanks I need."

They only allowed one more moment of peace, before TK too sat up. "We're not out of this yet," he spoke solemnly, gazing up towards the top of the stairs. He could not see Angewomon; in fact, he had no idea what had happened to her after she had fired her arrows of light, and a lack of the sounds of explosions had been a sign in his mind that something was wrong.

Kari stood, helping TK to his feet. She too had noticed that many of the sounds of combat had vanished. As neither of their partners had returned to them, fear for them had begun to rise within her; nodding to TK, they began to climb the stairs. Just as a precaution, she began reaching within her for the light, preparing to fling it as a defense or raise it up into a shield if something were wrong.

They went together, away from the ocean and the taint of Dragomon's power, aware that they could not return, nor reenter the water. TK stiffened slightly as he felt the darkness strong alongside the eerie calm; he urged Kari a little, and they ran up the remaining stairs –

Spawn. The ground was covered with them, as they moved restlessly, hushed and quiet except for the low murmur of their gurgled voices. Flanking them were the dark hooded figures that had taken part in the ritual, deep glowing red runes lining their robes and their faces unseen; but even that did not frighten the two humans as much as seeing their partners.

MagnaAngemon's form lay still on the ground, tied down by what looked like manifested solid darkness. He was struggling, shouting angrily while attempting to form attacks, but somehow with the darkness around him, he was unable to move.

TK himself was filled with dread and disbelief.

_How is this possible? MagnaAngemon is one of the strongest digimon out there, especially as an Ultimate, so how...?_

Beside him, Kari herself could not believe what she was seeing. MagnaAngemon was trapped, unable to fight, and Angewomon...

Angewomon was still in the air, but she was held in place by more bonds of darkness, the tendrils wrapped around her and pulling tightly. The digimon gasped as one around her throat tightened slightly, threatening to strangle her at the slightest provocation.

Quietly, she placed herself on guard. If the digimon had been captured, then she was the last defense between the beings of darkness and TK; she refused to let them take him again.

But she could not leave their partners alone. She glanced back at TK, who looked back with a despairing gaze. The question, she realized, resonated within both of them.

_How do we free our partners and get out of here?_

Afraid, she and TK clasped hands, gripping tightly as though trying to give each other support... that they could make it through everything...

They could not turn around, for behind them was the ocean and certain death for TK, with Dragomon's essence in the water and the darkness everywhere. But before them were the Spawn and the other dark beings, hooded figures garbed in black robes with glowing runes lining the fabric and the unmistakable sense of bloodlust, with their only allies captured and held as hostage for some unknown purpose.

Only, as TK's words matched the conclusion she had come to in the fight up the tower, she knew what this purpose was.

Then she heard murmurs, as the Spawn in the crowd parted to let a particular winged figure stride forward towards them. TK's hand stiffened, and she felt the darkness grow stronger as the figure grew closer...

And Daemon stood there, flanked by the dark hooded beings, his eyes visible as glowing slits that seemed to flicker with triumph.

"Hello, Child of Light," he spoke, low and smug. "How wonderful it is that you have finally come to us."

Kari stared for a moment, frozen as the digimon seemed to focus all of his attention on her, and not the weakened boy beside her. She felt TK's hand grip tightly at hers, shaking as he too stared at the being before them.

Somehow, she knew.

_TK's afraid. And angry. And Daemon's involved._

On a furious impulse, she raised her other hand with her palm forward, and called the light within her to strike out.

It came out as a glowing whip, lashing out at Daemon in an angry attack.

The digimon held up an arm, and the light hit a shadowy barrier, fading quickly back into nothing.

Daemon glanced with mild interest at Kari, lowering his arm. "Hmm, I expected thus from one who has awakened. Though I would suggest you do well not to raise my ire, lest a sad fate befall your partners."

The dark tendrils tightened subtly, but just enough that Angewomon let out a choking gasp, and MagnaAngemon, though he made no sound, twitched and grit his teeth.

She stiffened. "Stop!" she shouted, her gaze darting between the digimon, the dark forces around them, and TK at her side. "What do you want?"

Daemon's smile was audible. "Would you like to wager a guess? I'd assumed your dear friend had already informed you."

She glanced over to TK, who shared a look of concern. Suppressing a shudder, she gave the digimon her most defiant glare.

"The fight to get here made it clear that I'm the one you want. For Dragomon."

Daemon sounded amused. "Very good. And why did we need the Child of Hope first?"

Kari looked at TK again. For a moment, she thought it might have been to lure her into the dark realm, but no... the Dark Ocean had been after him for weeks before it had actually taken him. Whatever reason it was, TK knew it already – she could see it in his face – but he had not told her earlier, too focused on telling her what was relevant at that moment...

"I will tell you what I told the boy some hours ago," Daemon stated, his eyes becoming glowing slits visible in the shade of his hood. "He is the shield, the power of hope that protects you from our grasp and gives the side of light the miracles at dire times. It that same ability and power were imbued within this realm... oh, how effortless it would be to maintain our order here. And the protection of our enemies would be lost, as well as our path to reach you. It simply... required the boy's death."

"Well, obviously I'm still alive," TK answered angrily, though he still gripped Kari's hand tightly. "So I don't think it really worked."

Daemon turned to look directly at him. "That may be," he spoke with a low tone, "but both you and Light sit in this realm now, so at least we have access to you. Now, if you only would cooperate..."

Kari immediately braced herself, sensing a surge in wrathful energy coming from the digimon before them. TK too seemed to ready himself for whatever Daemon was prepared for.

The digimon chuckled darkly at their reactions. "And as expected, you won't come quietly. Well then, let's make this easier."

And Daemon flew at them.

Kari shrieked and instinctively put up a barrier, just as TK jumped in between her and the incoming digimon. Pink light surrounded them in time, and she winced as Daemon slammed into it, the light rippling from the impact.

Unperturbed, he threw a claw in, darkness forming around it into a shadowy flame. For a single moment, it seemed that all time stopped... then it exploded.

And the barrier shattered.

Kari screamed, shock overcoming her in the disbelief that the shield was gone, panicking as darkness and the heat of Daemon's attack engulfed her. She tried to call the light back up from within her, reaching out to grab TK so he too would not fall to this torrential whirlwind tearing at them; she felt her skin burn and freeze at the same time, and the light came to heal her; she heard TK cry out, and she tried in vain to feel his presence through the barrage of everything, failing as she realized she was not strong enough to both sustain the light against it and protect the one she had come to this realm for...

The darkness began to dissipate, rolling away. Kari fell on all fours to the concrete, gasping for breath, fully aware that the light surrounding her was the only thing that had kept her safe during the onslaught. Then in that moment, she felt the evil presence, suffocating in response to her light, and with growing dread, slowly looked up.

_No... no...!_

Daemon stood before her.

With one claw wrapped around TK's neck and the other gripping his head.

TK was breathing hard, growing pale and freezing in place, not even trying to struggle as he glanced up wildly at Daemon, then to the MagnaAngemon, then Angewomon, and Kari. The claw around his neck subtly tightened, just enough so the sharp tips pressed into his skin; a small choke escaped from him, barely controlled panic visible in his eyes.

Daemon laughed at him, a sound that sent chills through Kari's blood. "Poor, poor child," he said mockingly, gently stroking TK's head and giving an amused chuckle at his squirms. "He tries so hard, but for all his efforts, his attempts to escape, his belief in the miracle of hope... here he is again with me."

From the ground, MagnaAngemon roared. "How dare you! Let him go, you miserable - "

A dark tendril around his neck tightened, and the digimon became silent.

"Now then," Daemon continued, as though MagnaAngemon had not spoken, "I believe we have some negotiating to do."

Kari nodded dumbly as she pulled herself to her feet, her throat constricted as she stared fearfully at TK. He gazed back at her, gritting his teeth as a claw tip dug into the side of his neck, barely enough to draw blood.

"As you know, you are the one most desired by the Lord of this realm," Daemon stated casually, his glowing eyes boring into her. "And the Child of Hope, being already in our hands, would technically be unneeded any more. But, I can give you the choice – if you were to escape, leave your friends, cowardly as it might be... we would have no choice but to complete the ritual, killing both your partners as well as your dear friend here." To emphasize his point, he let a claw tip draw lightly across TK's throat. "But, if you were to come with us, we could... keep him alive for your sake. There's enough of his blood in the ocean that the realm has decent protection. We would still need to kill your partners though."

Kari shook her head, the horror of the situation sinking in as she saw both Angewomon and MagnaAngemon struggle. "No..." she whispered. "No, I can't accept this..."

"Oh, but you must," Daemon answered silkily, stroking TK's head suggestively. "What chance do you have of escape on your own? And think about it, losing the lives of two rather than three is so much more preferable, is it not?"

_What do I do... what do I do...? I can't leave without TK, I can't let Angewomon or MagnaAngemon die, I can't let Tai down after what he did, and I need to bring TK back to Matt, my light won't hold against Daemon, he's too strong, and Dragomon controls this realm, he wants me, and what do I do now?_

"So then, Child of Light," Daemon let the words lazily drawl out as he delicately let the tips of his claws grip at TK's scalp. "What is your choice? Leave and he dies. Come with me, and he lives."

TK's eyes shot up at Daemon's face, before returning Kari's gaze, pleading. "Kari, just run while you still can, it doesn't matter what happens to me - "

Black lightning struck across his body, and a tortured scream escaped from him.

Kari clasped both hands to her mouth in horror.

"And every time you speak, you will be forced to endure that," Daemon answered wryly as the lightning died away. "Surely, you must be getting well acquainted with it by now. And as we may still need your blood, this is the only option."

TK lay limp in Daemon's claws, unmoving except for his heaving chest with labored breathing, his blue eyes staring in a dull, lidded gaze.

Kari had no idea what to do. Her heart felt wrenched knowing the two choices she was being given, neither of which she wanted, and she looked madly from TK to Daemon, anxiety and helplessness encompassing her.

"Or if you'd rather," Daemon said, beginning to sound impatient, "I can take away the choices and simply capture you myself, and the Child of Hope will die in the ritual tomorrow morning."

"No!"

"Then choose!"

"I..."

What could she do? What sort of choice was this being forced upon her, to see friends die before her as the price for her freedom? Yet for her to give herself up to Daemon, and by extension Dragomon... it was what they wanted, and the last thing that the others could allow to happen.

Despite the power bestowed on her, growing in strength as the battle had raged, she felt helpless. Now when that power was needed most, it was still too weak in comparison to the evil standing before her, and the darkness surrounding them; even if she were to fight now, with TK and both their partners at the mercy of Daemon, it would end decisively in the demonic digimon's favor.

She knew the choice she had to make. Then perhaps, she could negotiate for the freedom of their partners... or use her own life in bargaining...

"Bandage Embrace!"

Pale strips of seaweed-like cloth seemed to explode from behind Daemon, wrapping his head and some of the nearby Spawn. Kari stared in shock as Daemon whipped his head around, breaking it free to roar in annoyance at the digimon far behind, whom Kari had not seen until the white of its attack separated it from the black of the dark beings surrounding it. She realized, in barely a second, that this digimon, with golden eyes and one horn, had been held captive by the Spawn, and its darkness was without the cruel, twisting taint that she could feel within the fabric of the world...

"Now!" the digimon shouted.

The darkness that bound Angewomon and MagnaAngemon suddenly vanished.

For a split second, the two were frozen in place, too surprised to act in their unexpected freedom. Then, as the horned digimon shouted an attack, they moved into action.

Spawn shrieked, transforming to stop the onslaught but being cut down before they could attack. Angewomon dove down to aid the digimon who had helped them, as MagnaAngemon struck out, waves of the Spawn withering away to nothing – and then Kari regained her wits, and raising her hands, she sent out beams of light to combat the dark beings and the hooded figures that tried to run forward.

Then as the Spawn momentarily thinned, she fired a blast at Daemon's face.

Just as before, he waved it off as a dark shield formed before him. The other three digimon turned their attention towards him, and he stepped back, glaring at all the attackers.

"You forget whom I hold," he growled threateningly, pulling TK up by the neck and placing him in front, as though a living shield.

Kari gazed fearfully at them, but was briefly taken aback by the expression on TK's face. The fear was gone, replaced by instead... righteous fury. More than before, determination seemed to surround it, and he seemed not to care that Daemon might kill him at any moment. His eyes met hers, trying to convey something...

Then glanced upwards back at Daemon and let out a low, slightly choked laugh.

"I don't think that's what really matters right now, _Lord_ Daemon," his voice was weak, but there was a challenging tone in it.

And he held up his D3.

Light exploded from it, aimed directly at Daemon's wrists. The digimon cried out in surprise, and Kari saw the claws loosen just enough –

And she fired her own attack in the same spot, and another one right after, aiming straight for Daemon's stomach.

The digimon barely moved, grunting as the light hit. But as MagnaAngemon and Angewomon dove down at him, arrows raining upon him, Daemon's claws released as he jumped back to avoid more injury.

As their partners drove him back though, Kari's attention was drawn straight towards TK, who had collapsed to the ground the moment Daemon had released him.

"TK! TK!" she cried, running to him and kneeling down, placing her hands on his body. "You'll be okay! Just hang in there..."

As the healing light washed over him, TK coughed and rubbed his neck, breathing hard. "Thanks Kari. I'm okay, really, I'm better than I have been."

She shook her head and gently helped him into a sitting position. "But what Daemon did to you..."

"I'll be fine," he answered, though he did not meet her eyes. "The pain goes away eventually. How did our partners get freed...?"

Kari could tell it was more of an effort to change the subject than him actually being curious, but she went along with it anyway. "I have no idea."

TK gazed up, staring at the combat, and in particular one land-based digimon trying to fight as well. "I bet Jigomon had something to do with it... he attacked right before that darkness disappeared..."

"Jigomon?" Kari inquired, gazing back at the battle. She could see the digimon jumping and attacking with a mixture of techniques with his horn and the bandages to make his opponents immobile. To her horror, he showed the signs of having been confined for a long period of time, and his fighting was rough, as though he had not been involved in combat for likely that same length.

"Yeah," TK pulled himself to his feet, though not without some difficulty. "He's an elderly digimon... lived here before Dragomon came and took control. He was in the cell across from me, and they were forcing him to watch the ritual too."

Then he stumbled, and Kari had to catch him so as not to let him fall.

"Sorry," he spoke somberly, holding onto her, "Guess I'm not okay. My nerves are still shot..."

She tried to heal him once more. "Take it easy. I'll protect you."

He smiled slightly. "Isn't that normally my job?"

She had to laugh a little. "I'm borrowing it. Come on, let's fight."

And she summoned the light to spread out in all directions, washing over the approaching Spawn in a wave and twisting them out of existence. Those that had merged withstood the attack, and any hooded beings nearby were now bent over in pain, trying to recover. Angewomon attacked them before they could, her arrows shooting through the dark enemies in quick succession.

Still holding onto her for support, TK was using his D3 to fight. The light bursting from it was much weaker compared to the concentrated power of hers, but she knew part of it was due to everything that had been done to him; with so much of his energy drained, it was difficult for him to push it out as a defense.

She tried to will her light into him, to help him regain some of what he had lost. For a moment between attacks, he glanced at her in surprise, but she had to turn her attention away as a merged Spawn charged at them, claws extended.

One hand thrust forward, and light burst outwards in a glowing ball of energy, hitting the being square in the chest. A moment later, Angewomon caught up and destroyed it with a single Celestial Arrow.

"Kari, have I mentioned how amazing you are?" TK spoke weakly, as though still in shock that she had the power she did.

"I think you said it earlier..."

"Well, I mean it."

Beyond their battle with the dark beings of the realm, MagnaAngemon dueled with Daemon in the air. Despite the power of the angelic digimon, Daemon seemed stronger, dodging each swing of MagnaAngemon's blade, interrupting every time he tried to open a Gate of Destiny, and forcing him back with blasts of shaded hellfire. When she could spare the chance, Angewomon would aid the other angel, the two fighting together against this demonic lord, but somehow Daemon was able to withstand their attacks, countering each time with little difficulty.

Occasionally, darkness would form around the two digimon, as though attempting to recapture them and hold them in place. But every time it began to form, it dissipated almost immediately. Daemon roared furiously each time, growing more and more filled with rage as his attempts to restrain them failed.

He was becoming wilder with his attacks, shadowy black flame burning around him and occasionally exploding around nearby Spawn too close to him. It was all that MagnaAngemon and Angewomon could do to evade, but only when they were sure the flames would not land close to the only allies they had in this land. More than once, MagnaAngemon had to shield Angewomon from one of the more devastating blows, and then use his own Magna Antidote in an attempt to heal some damage while the other tried to draw Daemon away.

Below, Kari had her attention fully occupied. The Spawn were strong in this realm, fortified by the presence of the darkness in its most twisted form; the hooded beings dispersed in the crowd were attacking with lightning and blasts of dark energy that she could barely block with a shield.

TK's attacks had strengthened a bit, from what she could tell; beams did more damage to the Spawn, and he was able to at least divert some of the more forceful attacks with a shield that appeared from the screen of his D3. She was still trying to feed him her own power, hoping that as holders of Hope and Light, their energy was interchangeable, and that his body would readily accept it, having lost so much.

Then without warning, the dark, furred digimon with the single horn pushed through the crowd, barely keeping the Spawn from tackling him to the ground.

"Jigomon!" TK exclaimed in surprise and relief. "Stay with us! Are you okay?"

The digimon panted heavily. "Better than I have been in many years! But my combat abilities have diminished significantly."

He paused as Kari fired a ball of light directly next to him, destroying a Spawn that had been about to pounce. "Thank you," he replied, smiling. "Aye, I shall stay with you, I think. Bandage Embrace!"

The white cloth spread out around them, wrapping Spawn and holding others down. It was enough that Kari was able to take close aim and fire focused shots of light at them, while TK dispatched the ones that remained. Jigomon jumped up and rammed some of the closer ones, his horn burying deep into them and forcing their forms to burst into smoky nothingness.

Kari again tried to convey more of her light into TK, and paused when he suddenly stopped her hand. "Thank you... I'm okay now," he said reassuringly. "I'll be fine. You need your light too."

She almost wanted to push the light into him regardless, but knew he was right. "All right then. Be careful, TK."

"We've got each other's backs."

He held up his D3 and formed a shield that diverted a bolt of lightning in a gentle arc back into the crowd, smiling grimly.

Beside them, Jigomon spun and kicked a Spawn, his webbed foot driving into its head and causing it to scream and vanish away. Then as he looked around warily, he gasped, drawing both TK and Kari's attention to the sky.

The shaded fire was everywhere. It exploded and burned, lighting the heavens with black glowing flares that danced in the excitement to destroy. In one moment, it was spread, barely leaving any space for the MagnaAngemon and Angewomon to dodge; then without warning, it all combined and struck.

Angewomon managed to escape, but MagnaAngemon was not as fortunate. It surrounded him, fury mixed with the darkness to incinerate the one caught in its embrace; TK screamed as he watched, but the burning fire around him more than he could handle without something desperate.

The digimon fell towards the ocean, but his sword flashed as he moved it in a broad circle – and the Gate of Destiny finally opened. MagnaAngemon roared as the flame burned at him, but somehow he was trying to fight through the pain, as he made the attempt to pull in all of the fire before it consumed him.

In that moment, with one opponent distracted, Daemon went straight for Angewomon.

His claws outstretched, he swiped at her furiously, too fast for her to escape from, but not close enough to damage her greatly; she cried out as pointed claw tips raked angry slashes across her body.

Kari gasped in horror, and the realization of how it might end. "Angewomon!"

Without warning, TK shoved her forward. "Go to her!" he shouted, giving her a reassuring nod.

The sense of strengthening light within him and the fact Jigomon was by his side was enough to convince her they would be all right. She rushed towards her partner, trying to blast her way through the Spawn so they would not interfere and worsen the battle; many fell around her, but did not wither away, yet she was focused solely on reaching the angel's battle with Daemon, and could not let these enemies distract her.

The moment she knew she was in range, she held up her hands and brought up the shield.

It flashed into existence directly in front of Angewomon, separating her from Daemon. The angel digimon gasped for air in one moment of relief, before flapping her wings and hovering backwards to create space between them.

The shield had been barely enough of an obstacle; Daemon roared and swiped hard with a claw surrounded in shadowed flame. Kari gasped as she felt the light waver, and then the shield shattered, the light shards bursting apart as they faded away. Angewomon brought her hands into position to form her Heaven's Charm, her own cross-like shield appearing in midair before her.

Kari released a blade of light in Daemon's direction, just as she realized that the Spawn were closing in on her. With a shout, she whirled around, light appearing like a whip from her hand that struck the enemies around her in a complete circle. She raised her hand high above her head, allowing the light remaining to expand and bisect those Spawn closest.

A bolt of black lightning shot from the side, too quickly for her to actively dodge or block, and the light protecting her reappeared as a body shield. It only absorbed the brunt of the attack; a crackling pain filled with a sense of burning reached her briefly, and she cried out as she bent over, trying to withstand it as the Spawn leaped at her.

She summoned the shield again, strong enough to hold the dark beings back. She caught sight of tentacles, then claws and teeth, something covered in spines, then blades – with a shudder, she threw her light at them almost haphazardly, just enough to cover the area. This battle had gone on for so long, and she realized she was tired of the Spawn constantly trying to attack, and wanted this conflict to end.

Glancing above, she noticed Daemon closing in on Angewomon again. Kari threw up a shield around the evil digimon, hoping to stop his movement and allow Angewomon time to rest, if only just for a few second. Daemon's roar of anger echoed through the air.

Then MagnaAngemon's voice boomed from behind his Gate of Destiny.

"Angewomon! Move away!"

She flew out of range, but Daemon followed her, Kari's shield shattering once again as he broke through. They cried out in frustration as the Angewomon tried in vain to escape from Daemon, but the latter seemed determined to stay close to her, for they all knew that MagnaAngemon would not inadvertently pull an ally into the Gate along with the enemy.

With a shout of rage, MagnaAngemon closed the Gate with a sword movement, to free him from the effort of controlling it. He rushed forward to aid Angewomon, sword swinging as he flew at Daemon.

The demonic being roared as the tip of the sword barely missed his head. He flipped in midair, throwing his fire at both opponents as he sped away. The two digimon dodged and made chase, refusing to let him escape from them, and seemingly knowing that the safety of their human partners depended on their efforts.

Kari sighed in relief, knowing that the three flying beings were beyond her immediate range, though she might be able to provide distractions from a distance. Feeling the Spawn approach from all directions, she again released light as an attacking wave, trying to decide the best actions – in any case, she had to return to TK and keep him safe.

"TK!" she called over the multitude of Spawn, some of whom screamed as they twisted and withered to nothing.

He shouted back from where he was still fighting with his D3. "Don't worry, I'll hold them off with Jigomon! Make sure the digimon get backup when they need it!"

She was used to hearing him sound like a fighter from all their previous battles, but the way he said it this time was a bit unnerving in that he seemed... older, more sure of what he said in his tactics. But then again, everyone had been affected by the conflict in the last several hours; he too had grown and was focused on what he believed was best considering the situation.

She nodded. "Be careful!" she replied as she sensed something behind her back. "I'll watch for you too!"

Light burst from her once again, barely soon enough as claws lightly scraped between her shoulders. She winced, and brought up her shield, redoubling her efforts to keep all parts of the battle under her watch. To her horror though, she was aware that the light, though strong, was beginning to feel harder to draw out, and she once again began to feel the start of fatigue in her body and mind.

From further away, TK steeled himself and tried again to use his D3 and aim the light out as a shield to protect both himself and Jigomon. Despite his words to Kari, his confidence that he and Jigomon would be all right as their own unit was not strong. Though he no longer felt pain shooting through his body, and the light channeled through the D3 came out more focused than before, he still felt powerless and weakened.

But he knew that their lives depended on the fight directly with Daemon. The Spawn would continue to come, but they could be defeated; it was Daemon who at this time controlled them, Daemon who now was the one who stood between enslavement and freedom, death and life. Kari, with her light abilities, would be best trying to aid the digimon. He and Jigomon just needed to hold off the onslaught of Spawn until the evil being had been defeated, or they escaped.

Yet what scared him was the realization that Kari was growing tired.

Her attacks now lacked the same control he had seen when she first directly threw that light at Daemon. They were flying everywhere, and he had known her for too long; she was breathing hard, her gaze losing focus – he knew that the long battle had been exhausting, and with her being so involved, it was taking its toll. He welcomed her gift of energy, but with the amount of fighting she was doing, she needed it more than he did.

He had seen MagnaAngemon nearly consumed by Daemon's Evil Inferno, and snatches of the fight in the air, and he was afraid that Daemon was too powerful for them. Yes, they had managed to fight against him for this amount of time, but Daemon seemed merely infuriated rather than hurt in any manner. He had no idea if any of the other Digidestined and their partners were coming, and he felt it unlikely at this point, especially from what he inferred of the battle in the other world.

Jigomon kicked another Spawn, while TK blasted it out of existence with his D3. He glanced over at Kari, who was performing a mixture of shielding herself and throwing out random bursts of light; then he looked to the sky and saw a pair of glowing eyes staring down at him, wrath practically emanating.

_What can I do? I can't be helpless any more, but I can barely keep Jigomon and myself alive. Everyone's been fighting to try and reach me, but I don't know how Kari and me can even get out of here any more, if the battle keeps going on like this._

Kari screamed something, just as flame exploded on the ground; MagnaAngemon and Angewomon were thrown backwards, twisting in the air as their forms ungracefully fell; Jigomon kicked and attacked the Spawn near them, keeping the enemy bound when necessary, but he was weak from his imprisonment, and TK knew he could not last long...

_I'm the Child of Hope. What good am I at that if MagnaAngemon is fighting and could use my help, but all I can do is cheer him on? I'm protecting Jigomon, but Kari's here too, so his Angewomon, and I made that promise that I would protect Kari - _

Daemon had grasped Angewomon around the throat, and he raised his other claw in preparation to strike. There were two blasts of light, one from Kari, the other from MagnaAngemon; Daemon growled and flung Angewomon aside, and she crashed into the ocean below, her scream muffled by the water.

_Protect Kari... protect everyone, if I can. Maybe this world has gotten to me. Maybe everything that's happened made me lose sight of things. But there was a hope of escape, of finally returning to peace again..._

MagnaAngemon roared and dove at Daemon, sword out and ready to stab, but the other digimon twisted in midair, narrowly dodging the blow. Then he reached out with a claw and grasped the angel digimon's head, lightning and fire circling it. Kari's shield appeared between the two, but MagnaAngemon was already falling down limply towards the sea, wings barely keeping him aloft.

TK shouted out, but he could feel that his partner was alive – hurt, but alive. Then he saw a burst of water as Angewomon rose from the ocean, eyes blazing as she reengaged Daemon. Moments later, MagnaAngemon shook himself into full awareness once again, and charged back into the fray.

_They had to fight to get here. A battle is still going on back in the Digiworld. Everyone's been doing this for me. I'm a teammate, friend, partner, brother, and I can't just let everything that they've done go to waste. We can't die here._

And suddenly, he knew. He could feel something stirring within him, trying to break free in this time of peril, though stopped by an internal wall that held it all back. The power had been there before, seeping out of the cracks, but now it was spiraling into a raging storm, whose righteous fury had been building ever since his first step into this dark realm.

He would become hope.

TK, filled with unwavering determination, raised his head and as Daemon turned to gaze at him again, looked the digimon straight in the eye.

"It's my turn."

The barrier within exploded.

Unbidden, energy flowed through his nerves, his blood, his whole being, as though a dam had broken within and everything that had been contained was spilling out, unable to be contained any longer. Now it was his will drawing this power out, not the ritual wrenching it from his body; he felt everything within his grasp, ready to be used to fight against those who had threatened him.

He held up a hand, let the energy collect within it, and then with a whipping outward motion, released it as a blade of light. He had not even tried aiming it; the light went where he willed it, and attacked at Daemon, destroying all in its path. He heard the cries of the Spawn as they withered to nothing, the moans of the dark robed ones as the light broke their runes and burned them away, but there was too much anger in him to care.

Light escaped from him in bursts, the power of hope in the form best suited to fight against those trying to harness it against its will; it struck every dark being close to him, and he could see that Daemon himself was shielding himself with that shadowy energy again, able to withstand the assault but briefly taken aback by his fury.

The only one spared was Jigomon; TK made sure that the elderly digimon was unharmed, and would not allow any light to hit him; only the Spawn that came too near would be smote with the bright energy that destroyed them almost instantly.

He heard Daemon screaming orders. "Erdra, to the back lines! Do not hold back! The boy has awoken! Incapacitate him immediately!"

TK almost laughed. No longer was he powerless; he could stand strong and help the others, making a difference in battle. He could finally fight back against those who had hurt and tried to kill him, the ones whom he knew were still battling in the Digiworld against his friends and his brother, who were trying against all the odds to save and take him home.

He watched as the dark robed beings rushed back behind the Spawn, who were trying to bind with each other and combine into their stronger forms, and he released the light out at them before they could complete the transformations. He relished this power, the chance to strike at the darkness... the corrupted darkness...

He realized that he was practically out of control.

_Don't lose yourself..._

TK had to wrench his mind back into a state where he could still think. Everything that had happened to him up until that point had fueled his desire to strike out in revenge against those and that world, but the sight of Kari, still fighting as she released flashing blades of light, was enough to remind him that there was something much more important at stake.

_Maybe once all I would have wanted would have been to destroy the darkness for what it's done, but I realize now it's not the darkness – it's the ones using it. And if what I have now called 'awakening', then what I'm using it for shouldn't be revenge on whatever hurt me or others... it's the power to protect those I care about from whoever might harm them._

As MagnaAngemon flew overhead, TK remembered clearly that moment, years earlier, a particular battle in the sky of File Island that left an impression in his young mind that would last forever. He saw one of the Spawn in its transformed state fly up to meet the digimon, and without a second thought, he raised up a hand and released a blast of energy at it, reducing the dark creature to nothing.

MagnaAngemon turned and nodded his thanks – all that he could afford as he had to dodge and continue fighting. But it was enough for the realization that TK knew both of them had.

_We're partners after all. And now, I can help him more._

Kari turned briefly, aware of the new source of power now awakened. He caught her eye; she was smiling, congratulating him and trying to give him hope, all in her gaze, before she again had to dodge and release a spiraling twister of light at one of the hooded beings that came at her. She was too far away from him to do otherwise, but he understood. They could speak later - now was the time to fight.

He whirled around and the light came from him, striking at every Spawn that came near. A bolt of what looked like black lightning came from the edge of the battle, and he had to dodge it, light aiding him in making a shield to divert it. He glanced at where it had come from and saw the hooded beings, stationed behind most of the Spawn in an effort to stay far away from him, attacking from a distance.

_Well, I can attack from far away too._

TK shouted out as he held his hands before him, aiming towards the dark hooded beings. A couple froze and seemed to panic, but he had the lives of his friends and allies counting on this battle, and he could not afford mercy on those who promised loyalty to those such as Dragomon. A blast escaped from him, shooting forward as though from an explosive cannon and destroying whatever it hit. He did not even hear any last cries from them, nor did he have the time to think about it – he immediately turned his attention towards the next threat.

He threw another burst of light at the offending Spawn, one of the stronger merged ones he suspected, propelling it over the mob. He glanced at Jigomon, who was staring at him with a mixture of... pride, concern, hope...

"You have awoken," he spoke softly, his golden eyes alight.

He nodded back, gazing briefly at his hand. "Yeah... and now I have to figure out how to control it."

Jigomon kicked another Spawn, one in the form of a great feline creature, before waving his arms in another use of his restraining bandages. "Now you have hope again. Be careful of your power though..."

TK laughed darkly, knowing that Jigomon must have noticed from earlier. He quickly raised a shield, noting how it seemed barely corporeal and faded unevenly at the edges. "I know. I had to pull myself out earlier."

"Good thing you did," Jigomon smiled, his gaze one of proud approval. "You should know...you are quite an incredible child."

Then he struck a nearby enemy with his horn, which TK made sure to fully destroy.

His power was raw and without restraint, with blasts destroying whatever Spawn or other dark beings dared approach, but unable to focus on smaller points, like finishing off an already wounded enemy or forming a functional shield. He had to resort to using his D3 to channel it, making protective barriers when he needed to.

But his mind was too incensed from everything that had been done to him, so he resorted to acting mostly offensively. Only his self-control kept the blasts from expanding too far, or from hitting an ally; he realized that it had been building so intensely, it needed release and was barely manageable at this point.

It was as the dark tendrils once again appeared, and then suddenly vanished, that Daemon gave another roar of rage, and shaded fire exploded everywhere. Kari's shield surrounded their partners, but even then some of the flame made it through, both digimon crying out as they tried to withstand the attack; Spawn and hooded beings alike were consumed in its wrath.

Then Daemon turned towards TK and Jigomon.

His eyes glowed a deep menacing red at the sight of the elderly digimon.

"You..." the demonic being snarled, and his wings spread, casting shadows and flame. "You!"

He shot forward and raised up a claw, and TK saw shaded spikes form in midair, and he realized that these were the daggers of ice that had been so debilitating every time he had tried to escape. He leaped forward, already summoning the light within him so he could get Jigomon out of the way in time –

The spikes flew. Jigomon cried out as they went through him, and he fell to the ground, limbs twitching as he tried to stand.

Daemon was already approaching, claws moving in an arcane gesture, the black hellfire forming again. He did not seem to care that the Spawn were already swarming around his target, showing a cold fury towards him that was only magnified by the chaos surrounding them.

TK did the first thing he could think of.

"MagnaAngemon!" he screamed out, just as he threw his light out upon Daemon. It appeared as a wild, uncontrolled blast, exploding outwards and destroying the nearby Spawn as it expanded at the digimon.

As he expected, a dark shield took the brunt of the attack, and the rest of the light was quickly diverted away. But now he had Daemon's attention, and he realized that the digimon's wrath was now focused directly on him, which was fine because now Jigomon was no longer a target, except for how filled with rage Daemon was, and now Daemon was roaring, charging with one claw extended –

"Soul Banish!"

Daemon barely dodged the flying sword, turning sharply in the air just in time to be slammed by MagnaAngemon. His claws formed the shaded fire again, but MagnaAngemon grappled and threw him towards the ocean. Then Angewomon shot through the air to meet him with an arrow, and the trio of angels and fallen angel were soon battling above the waves again.

TK had no time to sigh in relief. He pushed Spawn away from him, aware that energy was emanating from him as almost a light shield, as he ran towards the digimon he had been trying to save.

"Jigomon!" he shouted, reaching the elderly digimon. He knelt down and desperately tried to contain the power within him so as not to accidentally harm the being he knew was filled with darkness.

The digimon struggled to stand. "It's been too long..." he groaned with the effort. "Too long since I fought last... I cannot recover as quickly..."

TK turned to face the oncoming Spawn. "I'll cover you. Just hang in there!"

"It's too late... can you feel it...?"

He glanced back in confusion. "Feel what - "

The world rippled with dark energy.

He knew exactly what it was. He could feel the corrupted darkness, twisted and mangled in comparison to how the natural kind was, swelling as though responding to some call beyond their reach. Chills ran through him as the vibration swept past, filled with the power of the ungodly being he knew was the ruler of the realm...

_Dragomon. He's still here._

As it began to die away, it was all he could do to push past it and keep fighting, releasing light in various directions as Spawn, transformed and merged, squealed in unearthly joy and leaped at them. That darkness, suffocating to him, was the sign to the Spawn that their master was still with them.

Even Jigomon shuddered from what TK knew was the natural flow of his world poisoned by the taint in its blood. "We have no more time..."

"Don't give up now," TK urged the digimon, despite the fact he too felt his heart sink in the realization that Dragomon himself might appear to end their attempt to escape and live. To his horror, as he glanced at the ocean, he saw that Daemon had managed to briefly retreat from Angewomon and MagnaAngemon, and the two angel digimon seemed exhausted. _What now what now what now?_

To his surprise, he saw Kari jump over one of the falling enemies, light trailing behind her and protecting her rear.

"TK! Grab my hand!" she screamed. "Make a shield with me!"

He dove towards her and not quite knowing what he was doing, clasped her hands and tried to concentrate his awakened abilities into the formation of a barrier.

He felt energy emanate from her, feeding into him through her hand. What control he lacked, with his power raw and wild, Kari gave to him, tempering and focusing it while mixing with her own.

"You have the will," she said softly, almost coaching him. "Now bring the energy together so you can release..."

And instinctively, as he saw MagnaAngemon and Angewomon dart towards them, arcing up in preparation to defend, he raised his other arm, just as Kari did the same, and together with her, let his inner light expand and form into an impenetrable barrier.

Daemon gave a furious roar as he charged at them, but the light formed into a solid construct too quickly, surrounding the two humans and one injured digimon. Pink and yellow, the respective auras of both people forming it, mixed together into an iridescent shield; with the extra power, it was stronger than when only Kari had created it before.

Spawn rammed themselves into it, only to disintegrate moments later from the pure light energy. Daemon himself managed at least one attempt to break it, like he had earlier; he rebounded away, snarling in frustration before both Angewomon and MagnaAngewomon set upon him.

TK relaxed slightly, but immediately tried to concentrate again as he saw shield waver. He realized that he was simply too inexperienced and his energy too strong at the moment for him to have the ability to control it, and he had to strain to keep his part of the barrier intact.

Moments later, the shield became fully stable again.

"It's okay TK, you can relax, I have it covered."

He glanced at Kari worriedly. "You sure?"

She nodded, breathing hard with her eyes unfocused. "I can do it," she spoke, gripping his hand. "But Daemon's too strong, I don't know how long I can keep it."

There was something else in her tone, saddened and afraid to fail. He realized that it reflected a recent trauma, something that must have happened during the battle back in the Digital World...

MagnaAngemon and Angewomon circled above the shield, defending back and forth at Daemon and the other dark creatures of the realm, but it was evident they were greatly fatigued. TK glanced back at Kari, and though unspoken, they knew it was only a matter of time before their partners ran out of the energy to fight.

"TK!"

Jigomon coughed a little, struggling to stand on his webbed feet. TK glanced at Kari to make sure she would be able to handle the shield, including his own energy he had fed into her. She nodded a confirmation, and TK let go of her, kneeling back down to aid the digimon.

"Take it easy, you're hurt," he placed an arm around his furred shoulder. His injured arm, he noted silently, or at least the one that had been injured before Kari had arrived and healed him.

"It matters not," Jigomon shook his head. "Of greater concern is getting the two of you to safety."

Kari reached out with a hand, gently touching the digimon's furred chest. "But you saved us," she said softly, allowing some light to flow from her into him.

TK took her other shoulder to lend her more energy so the shield stayed strong while she healed Jigomon. It briefly occurred to him, as she was, that Jigomon was a digimon of the dark realm, and that as someone who embodied light...

To his relief, Jigomon simply breathed as the light washed over him and vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He then nodded to both of them. "I should be all right now, thank you."

They released him, though TK left his hand on Kari's shoulder as a physical connection to share their energy again. Kari gazed at the digimon with a concerned look. "Will you be okay? I mean, did it work, with me being..."

She did not finish, but TK knew she had had the same concern as he did.

Jigomon smiled. "It did feel strange, but not harmful." He then bowed courteously to Kari. "Again, thank you, Child of Light."

She politely bowed back. "You can call me Kari."

He nodded. "Kari. It is an honor to meet you, despite the circumstances." Then he turned to address both of them again. "We have little time. The two of you must escape this place."

TK almost wanted to disagree; he wanted to fight, and finally put an end to the nightmares that this realm had given him... as well as Kari, Ken, and everyone else who had been affected by its power. But given everything that had happened, and with their partners in a state of exhaustion, he realized that Jigomon was right. Frustrated, his hand tightened into a fist, the twinge in his wrist reminding him too well of what he had just escaped.

Kari shuddered. "I know," she spoke softly, glancing upwards where Angewomon had just dodged a dark flare from Daemon, which hit the shield. She winced as the explosion threatened to break through, but somehow the barrier held. "But the darkness here... how do we keep away from it? I don't know how Angewomon and MagnaAngemon got free, but it might not stay away from us..."

At that, Jigomon gave a low chuckle. "That was my doing. Daemon made a mistake by restraining your partners with the natural darkness. Any native of this land can manipulate it, and once I realized what it was, it was no mean feat to release them. Fortunately for us, Daemon is apparently unskilled in the use of the corrupted darkness, otherwise I would have been unable to help."

TK briefly felt elated. It meant that Daemon would be unable to hold them; though, assuming that this was the reason Daemon had targeted Jigomon, it meant they needed to protect the elderly digimon. But as for the corrupted darkness...

"What about Dragomon?" he spoke, glancing nervously at the ocean. He recalled the moment earlier, when he felt the unearthly swell of power ripple through the very fabric of the world. He could still feel it faintly, ever present through the corrupted darkness that saturated everything.

Jigomon shook his head, apprehension showing too clearly in his golden eyes. "He has complete mastery of both the natural and the corrupted darkness; after all, he is the ruler of this realm. He must certainly know of our brief escape."

TK nodded in grim agreement; beside him, Kari shuddered, able to feel the power vibrating, familiar from her last unwilling visit. Quietly, she looked up at where their partners were still battling Daemon, who seemed tireless as he continued to defend and release shadowed flame from his claws.

"We can't fight Dragomon," she murmured, shaking her head, still focusing hard on the shield. She could still see the Spawn just beyond its edge, waiting for the moment it fell. "Dragomon's too powerful, here in this realm. If we had everyone here, we might be able to defeat Daemon, but..."

TK glanced at her inquisitively. "Who could make it if we tried?"

Kari looked down at the ground, now having to strain to keep her focus as the images of the battle through the tower played through her mind. TK noticed immediately, and she felt the burden of the shield lighten as he helped her maintain it. "Maybe Matt and Weregarurumon..." she spoke softly, "But Matt might not be in the best condition, so I wouldn't count on it."

She immediately wished she had stayed silent as she saw TK's eyes widen. "Wait, what happened? Is Matt okay?"

"... he's..."

"Well then, that settles it."

The two of them looked at Jigomon, who gazed back at both of them, a hard look in his golden eyes. "We cannot stop Daemon... not as we are now. You and your partners are exhausted and injured, and I am weakened from having been in prison for so long. We cannot expect to have any more allies in this battle. And as we all know, Dragomon will soon come for us. Once he appears, our end is certain."

TK and Kari glanced at each other. "What do we do then?" Kari asked with a shudder in her voice.

Jigomon smiled.

"Simple. You escape."

And without warning, he grabbed them both in one webbed claw each, and threw them hard into the air, the light shield vanishing from the break in focus and the pure shock.

"Catch them!" he called.

Kari screamed as she soared over the heads of Daemon and his subordinates, TK right beside her as the air blew past their faces and the digimon beneath grew smaller. She was shocked at Jigomon's strength; from his size, she would not have imagined him able to throw as hard as he had.

Angewomon and MagnaAngemon were already flying up towards them, shooting through the humid mist in an effort to reach them before their partners fell to the ocean below. They burst forward, wings flapping madly to give them the speed needed to both catch their respective Digidestined and escape from the wrathful demonic digimon below.

As Angewomon caught her, arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace, Kari sighed in relief. She saw MagnaAngemon do the same with TK, and for a moment she felt that everything was well – and then gasped and twisted her body to look downwards.

There were bursts of what Kari knew were bandages, restraining the Spawn close to the origin, but there were too many. Black lightning surged, dark beams of energy lit the battle, and then an explosion of black flame enveloped the entire cliff with plumed smoke...

"Not again..." she whispered, an image of Tai suddenly before her eyes.

In MagnaAngemon's arms, TK grit his teeth and tried not to shout in rage. Silently, he looked over at Kari, knowing that her haunted gaze reflected more than what had just happened. There was something going on back in the Digiworld, and he himself was afraid to know how badly hurt everyone was, or if the unthinkable had happened and someone had actually been _killed_...

"Let's go back," he heard himself say mutedly. "Before Daemon chases us."

_This isn't over. Jigomon's sacrifice won't be in vain. Maybe we're escaping, but this fight isn't over. I've got to do something... he believed in hope... _

"TK's right, we should retreat," Angewomon's voice echoed.

Somberly, the two angelic digimon began to soar upwards, side by side, up into the sky. Somehow, they both knew what to do. They had exited the realm of the Dark Ocean once before, by flying upwards into the light; this time, even without the visible power raining down from above, the fact that they had the awakened bearers of light and hope with them seemed to be enough for them to make their own path.

Angewomon took the lead, having been the one who directly traversed the corridor the first time. Somehow, as they rose above the clouds and the ocean became nothing more than a dark spot on the earth, everything around them became brighter and brighter, as energy from both Kari and TK spiraled around all four of them. Yet it was the sensation of something familiar, the feeling of a world they all knew, that drew them towards a particular point. They were aware that most of the doors out were shut, but this one was open, leading straight towards the realm they needed to return to.

The darkness came with them, both the natural and the corrupted, but it had already been flowing through into the other world. It all went in one direction, adding a tint of grey to the swirling colors that were growing more constant, a river's current that the two digimon rode along.

From behind, TK thought he felt a scream of rage echo through the trickles of corrupted darkness close to them. He glanced back, and despite being unable to see any sign of Daemon or Dragomon following, he felt a sense of unease creep through him.

He bit it back. In his heart, he had already come to a conclusion, and with all he had experienced, he knew he would need his hope more than ever.

_It wasn't always like this, I know that now. This world deserves more. _

And then the warmth of the light expanded and broke away. MagnaAngemon and Angewomon faltered in the air, losing their flight and crashing together into a hard floor, skidding across the room until they stopped in a heap.

With a shout of surprise, TK found himself briefly in midair. Then his body met a cold stone floor, and he groaned as pain from the impact shot through him.

He could feel the darkness all around, but he felt at ease. After all, this was the corrupted darkness, and it did not belong in this realm, where he could feel the sense of everything he knew he had taken for granted, and never noticed until he had been trapped in a world where it had been inverted.

He opened his eyes and saw Kari lying next to him, rubbing her head from having also fallen from Angewomon.

"Hey," he whispered, touching her hand. "We made it."

She smiled.

"Welcome back."


	17. Reunion

A/N: So, I originally planned for this to be eighteen chapters, but with the realization that this particular chapter was getting way too long, I decided to split it. So it's really more divided into two halves. The good news is that because of this and the fact that the majority of the second half is written, the next update should not take nearly as long. So... two more chapters!

There's something that I think I failed to mention, as I think I came up with a weird backstory somewhere along the line and realized that I never actually explained it, so I guess I'll do so here and write up a one-shot about it later. I'm also fairly sure that I answered this in a question way back when, and I don't remember what was going on then, but with the several years it's been, things have changed, so here's my explanation.

In 02, the older Chosen digimon only regain their ability to digivolve to the Ultimate level because they were given the power of Azulongmon's digicore. This is used mostly to allow Paildramon to later become Imperialdramon Fighter Mode, and then let Agumon warp digivolve to the Mega level. Where I chose to take this, is that after the major battle with Malomyotismon was over and things seemed to settle down, the kids decided to return the power of the digicore because of the importance those digicores have to maintaining the stability of the Digiworld. As a result, they can once again only reach the Champion level - however, because they've been touched by the digicores, they retain the ability to digivolve to Ultimate under fairly special circumstances. So, everyone knows they can get to Ultimate with some effort. They do not, however, realize that having grown much stronger, other things can happen too...

A couple other things: First of all, for Zenkyoshi readers, since I feel this is now relevant: I originally planned this story and scenes of its sequel to take place in that continuity. However, at the time I had no intention of ever actually writing up and sharing that entire storyline, so when I decided that I wanted to publish this one, I made the decision to keep all direct references to that timeline out. This is a policy I've kept, though there are several hints to that timeline littered throughout this one. Hence probably a few moments where people seem to be less surprised than they should in this chapter. This will also be my policy for the sequel to this, whenever I get around to it.

Second one is tiny. I renamed "Ice Wolf Claw" to its original Japanese name, "Grace Cross Freezer". This is simply because the attack has nothing to do with the use of actual claws.

I guess that and I feel like I keep screwing poor Matt over in this, thinking about it.

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_**Reunion**_

Kari, for a few moments, could feel nothing but relief in the fact that she was back in the Digiworld, where the light felt strong and the familiar sense of the world resonated within her. With TK beside her, alive and well, she knew that in one part, they had succeeded. He was safe with them again, and with his own powers awakened, it was unlikely the forces of the Dark Ocean would succeed in taking him soon... unless Dragomon himself appeared, she added mentally.

Then her mind shot back to everything that had been left behind when she and her partner had jumped through the doorway into the other world.

She gasped and sat straight up, looking around wildly. TK gazed at her with worry, propping himself up on his elbows. "What is it?" he asked.

Kari was afraid to answer. Images of the battle raced through her mind, of seeing the others injured, the charge down the field, the struggles fighting in the tower, Matt as he tried to fend off that one draconic being, and Tai...

"Everyone," she answered simply, choking back the sinking feeling that something might have gone wrong.

However, there was something significantly different about their current location compared to how it had been when she had left it.

Though the twisted darkness of the other realm still flowed through the door, the room was empty.

"Matt and Weregarurumon were here fighting earlier," she spoke hurriedly. "Something had to have happened, the room was teeming with Spawn..."

At those words, TK bolted upright in a panic. "No... they couldn't have lost..."

Still on the ground, groaning and shaking his head a little, MagnaAngemon turned slightly, surveying the space. "If they had," he said, his voice calm, "the enemy would still be here, and we would be fighting them right now."

"Or we'd be dead," Angewomon pointed out.

"Assuming we had recovered immediately and gone on the defense the moment we reentered this realm."

"Fighting then. Probably winning."

Angewomon was definitely a bit perturbed by everything that had happened in the Dark Ocean, Kari thought.

Regardless, MagnaAngemon was right. TK relaxed slightly, though the worry was still evident in his face. He shivered slightly, clenching his fists as he gazed down at the floor.

"The corrupted darkness is strong here," he murmured, one hand opening to press into the stone. "It feels like it's seeping into everything."

He turned to Kari with a determined look in his eyes. "What's going on with everyone? Are they still okay? Tell me everything that's happened."

She laughed darkly, knowing there was too much to tell. But he had to at least know what was going on. "Right now, we're at the top of a tower. Mostly everyone was on the outside, fighting the Spawn, but Tai, Matt, and their partners came in here with me. We fought our way up, but Tai and Metalgreymon..." she steeled herself, clenching a fist. "They stayed behind as a distraction on one of the floors. Matt and Weregarurumon were here in this room when Angewomon and me went through the door."

TK sat for a moment, stunned. He had known that the battle was happening – the memory of Daemon receiving the battle report while taking him to the ritual site still burned in his mind. But he knew the Spawn, and now that he knew the dangers of there being so many enemies when the digimon could not always protect their human partners...

"We have to go find them," he forced himself to his feet, glancing around the room. He held out a hand to Kari, which she took; as he helped her up, both Angewomon and MagnaAngemon stood as well in preparation to act.

Then he heard footsteps, uneven and plodding, but echoing through the emptiness of the stone hall. It took one moment of glancing at his D3, clipped hastily to his belt during the earlier chaos, to see the tracker blinking; in that moment, the footsteps stopped, and he heard a voice, weak but filled with hope.

"You're..."

It was Matt's voice.

_He's okay..._

"Angewomon..." there was a tone of awe. "And wait... MagnaAngemon?"

The digimon in question waved. "Hello there."

"But if you've digivolved, then that means..."

Kari and TK smiled at each other, standing. TK winced a little with weariness and the remaining twinges in his wrists, but Kari gently placed her arm around his shoulder to give her support.

Together, they walked out from between their two partner digimon.

Two pairs of eyes, each an identical shade of blue, met each other's gaze.

"TK!"

"Matt!"

TK was suddenly aware that he was running, his feet pounding against the stone floor as he took in the figure he had been afraid he would never see again. He saw Matt growing closer too, his motions heavy and strained but filled with newfound energy, happiness born only from hope regained from the depths of sorrow, and he himself felt that same joy as his legs moved him forward.

Then he was there, and he felt Matt's arms wrap around him, pulling him close and refusing to let go.

"It's you... it's really you..." Matt whispered, his voice breaking. "You're alive... you're here..."

"Yeah," TK felt his eyes burn, and he realized he had never been so glad to be in his brother's arms. "I'm here... I'm back."

For a moment, the two held each other, TK taking in the reality of everything. Again, it solidified in his mind, a full confirmation that he had escaped from the nightmare, and he was back in the Digiworld with those who cared about him. Just Matt's form embracing him, damp with sweat and blood but still filled with strength and the desire to protect still running through his being, was another reminder of how close he had come to never seeing his brother again.

He remembered how Matt had always worried for him, to the point of being overprotective when they were younger. As they had grown, he had stepped back in the realization that TK was maturing as a person and fighter, no longer the same vulnerable child he had once been. Yet TK knew that this entire situation must have been so distressing for his brother, in the attempt to try and reach him before it was too late.

He could not let it happen again, being helpless and forcing those he loved into danger for his sake. And now, he could protect his brother as well.

Finally, the two separated. TK knew that Matt was looking over him, taking in his physical state, both relieved and horrified by what he saw. At the same time though, he was frightened by Matt's condition – there were blood-laced rips and cuts all over his clothes, and he was covered in grime from what he was aware must have been an arduous battle. Matt himself was breathing slowly as though it hurt every time he inhaled or exhaled, the sound of the air whistling slightly as it passed through him.

TK placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, concerned. "Matt..."

Matt opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly bent over, overtaken by a bout of coughing. TK gasped and reached around to try and support him, watching helplessly as Matt's body was wracked with spasms and the sounds of him retching mixed with his coughs.

"Kari! Help me!" he found himself shouting, hoping that her healing would be enough.

Matt let out a few rasping breaths, straightening gradually as he brought his hands to his face. "I'm... I'm fine," he answered, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

TK's eyes widened as he saw the red that he realized had come from his brother's lungs. "No, you are not fine! You need help now!"

Kari was beside them, along with both MagnaAngemon and Angewomon, who had followed her. She placed a hand on Matt's arm, her healing light pouring into him with urgency.

"It's okay, let me heal you all the way now," she spoke as the glow strengthened around Matt. "I'm glad you made it though..."

Matt smiled grimly. "Digidestined are tough to kill." He glanced at TK with a knowing look in his eyes, and TK was suddenly wrought with a mixture of both pride and guilt – that they survived through some of the greatest moments of despair, but also that this time, it was all because they had been trying to save him...

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean they should throw themselves into danger," MagnaAngemon reproached, shaking his head.

"Hey, it's what we do when someone's in trouble, all logic goes out the window."

"And from there it's all emotion and instinct," Angewomon finished Matt's words, a smile visible on her face.

It was true, the digimon would know after all. TK watched as the pink glow faded, Kari looking a little bit more tired than before. He glanced at her, feeling worry creep up within him as he remembered all the fighting she had already done, and how fatigued she must have become.

"Kari, I'll take care of fighting," he quickly stated. "Just save what you have and heal where you need to."

She glanced at him in uneasily. "Are you sure? How much energy do you have left?"

"Enough," he replied. _Hopefully._

"TK...?"

They all turned towards Matt, who seemed stunned by their words. TK realized that Matt must have known about Kari's light abilities, which meant he must have made the connection as well...

"You can use it too? Light?" Matt's voice was quiet, but filled with awe.

TK nodded in reply. Matt looked wildly at Kari, then to MagnaAngemon and Angewomon, who only seemed to confirm it with their confident stances.

He turned back to his brother, his eyes wide and a large smile drawn across his face. "Wow. That's... wow."

TK smiled back weakly. "Yeah. It only came after Kari saved me. How are you feeling?"

Matt blinked at the change of subject, but gave them all a reassuring nod, taking a couple of deep breaths that sounded normal and healthy again. "Way better. I could probably fight again too, but..." he glanced around the empty room, sighing. "I lost my pole in all the chaos going on in here, after I got injured. Maybe I could look for it, but I don't think it's worth it at this point."

TK was confused. "Pole?"

"Mike stands."

"Oh. _Oh._"

Matt had mentioned that before, TK remembered. Mike stands and a band member who used to take aikijo.

Angewomon frowned as she looked around the room as well, from her position much higher than the humans below. "Matt, about the enemies in here. What happened, why's it empty now?"

Matt sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Weregarurumon and I were fighting up here for a while, then we heard this huge explosion from under us. Then this wave of something dark came out of the door, and the Spawn suddenly all left the room and went downstairs. We went after them at first, then we figured we should keep an eye on what was going on, so I climbed back up while Weregarurumon kept a watch to make sure no more Spawn followed us."

He smiled. "And then I saw you guys. I guess things in the Dark Ocean worked out for us in the end."

TK remembered the events that had passed, the fighting and their escape. His mind passed back to the disappearing figure of Jigomon, as he flung them away from the battle into the air and threw himself into the fray, to give them time to make their way back to the realm of light.

MagnaAngemon turned back towards the door. "In the end. It was not an easy escape." Then he glanced back at Matt. "What about that dragon-like being? Did it retreat downstairs as well?"

Matt cracked a proud smile. "No. Weregarurumon got it."

Both digimon let out audible exclamations of pride in their friend, and Kari's face lit up in a relieved smile. TK on the other hand could only frown. "Is that how you got hurt?"

His brother nodded; to the side, he also saw Kari confirming, seeming slightly shaken by the memory. He gazed sadly at Matt, knowing that the battle to reach the top of the tower must have taken its toll on everyone involved... then for a moment, he thought back to reports he had heard, as he was blinded by shadow, the Spawn pushing him through the halls of the dungeons in the Dark Ocean.

Nearly forgotten due to all the trauma that occurred afterwards, TK suddenly recalled the words spoken, Daemon's reply, his own reaction; the guilt that had been fresh at that moment returned immediately with force.

He was almost afraid to ask, but he had to know. He had to make sure that no one else had been hurt on his behalf, not like this.

"What's happened to everyone else?" he asked, trying to keep his expression as level as possible without losing control. "I heard, back in the Dark Ocean, one of the dark commanders giving a report. He said that Ken was injured badly and that they'd almost killed Tai. Is Ken going to be okay? What about Tai? What's going on?"

He was aware that both the digimon were looking at him, while Kari had frozen. Matt looked down at the floor, not meeting his gaze.

TK felt horror creep into his heart. "It's true, isn't it? Please tell me everyone else is all right..."

"I don't know how everyone else is right now," Matt's voice was quiet and somber. "But needless to say, just from before we even got into the tower... I think we're all going to the hospital when we get out of here."

Kari suddenly spoke up, glancing at Matt. "I don't know if you saw Ken earlier, during the charge." Matt shook his head. "He was doing okay then, he didn't look too bad."

Matt let out a long breath. "That's a relief. Now I just hope he hasn't passed out..."

TK frowned. None of this information was reassuring. "And I know Tai was okay up until he used himself as a distraction in the tower. What exactly happened to him?"

The two humans and two digimon all looked at each other. TK could almost sense the unsaid conversation going on between them – trying to decide who should say what, and how much needed to be told...

"The 'almost killing' part was earlier on the field outside," Kari answered first, looking down at the stone floor. "I got there in time, and Tai got out with a cut on his chest. Downstairs though, he..." her voice faltered, and she grew silent, unmoving as her eyes became unfocused, blinking quickly as she tried to hold something back.

"He sacrificed himself," Matt finished flatly. "Told us to keep going, using himself as bait to stall the Spawn coming after us... charged right into them. That was the last time we saw him."

TK found himself speaking before he had even mentally registered Matt's words.

"He's not dead."

No one answered. Matt turned his head away and Kari still stared at the ground, unwilling to make eye contact. He looked desperately at the two digimon, who only shook their heads grimly.

_No, I can't accept this. _

And suddenly, he was yelling, angry at them all in frustration that they could have given up so easily.

"Did you actually see him die?" he shouted, berating. Matt and Kari abruptly looked at him. "Did you find anything that might suggest he died? Do you actually believe, in your heart, that he's been killed? I don't believe it for a second!"

"TK..." Matt started, stepping forward hesitantly.

He glared at them. "No, Tai is alive, everyone is alive, and we're all going to get out of this alive, well, and victorious. I almost lost all hope in those moments before dawn. I shouldn't have, because here I am standing with you in the Digiworld, away from the Dark Ocean. I will not give into despair again."

The others looked taken aback at his words, perhaps more forthright than he usually was. For a moment, no one spoke, unsure of how to respond.

"I hope you're right," Angewomon finally sighed, her wings fluttering a little. "In any case - "

Something exploded from the door.

TK recognized it, the wave of dark power from the Dark Ocean pouring through the passageway into the Digiworld. With a shout, he immediately jumped between the others and the doorway, kneeling down with both hands raised before him and focusing a shield into being.

It sprung up over them, covering the entire group in a dome of light. TK winced as he felt the darkness collide into it, worried that he might not have the ability to keep the shield intact, but watched as the wave of what looked like billowing black and violet smoke rolled over them, continuing on with little other interruption.

It was unsettling to watch all of it go by from within the shield, where they could see through the yellow translucent barrier all. TK concentrated on keeping their haven intact, though he could sense the darkness as it moved. He was reminded again that this was not the natural darkness, but the corrupted kind that Dragomon used; and then he realized, almost fleetingly, that regardless of what it was, by itself darkness did no harm. It was those that used it to control and destroy that had formed it into what it was.

And Dragomon, through his taint and power, had melded his own will and essence into it, corrupting what may have once been harmless into a tangible thing that spread his influence and widened his range of knowledge and control.

They had no choice but to wait for the wave to end.

"Matt, is this like what came out of the door earlier?" MagnaAngemon asked, though TK could not see as he himself was facing the warp.

"Y-yeah," came his brother's response. "It hurt too, I'm glad we've got a barrier this time..." He sounded a bit in awe of everything.

TK bit his lip. _Dragomon_.

He suddenly heard Kari's soft gasp. "TK, do you sense that?"

It took him a moment, concentrating on the corrupted darkness again, but he felt it.

"Yeah," he answered, knowing he sounded bitter. "Someone's not happy that we escaped."

For a short time, the wave continued but beneath the shield, they stayed silent. TK knew part of it was the realization that the enemy in the other world could still affect those no longer in it, and there was nothing to suggest they would not fly out of the doorway within the next minute. With the anger and rage within the darkness, and the wrath he knew had to have come from Daemon, he shuddered slightly at the thought.

Then he heard a sigh, and then Matt speaking again. "You know, if it weren't for the fact that Kari was fighting alongside us like this on the way up and I saw her do tons of stuff with light, I'd probably be sitting on the floor in shock. This is so amazing TK."

TK had to smile a little. "Thanks."

The force of the wave was lessening now, starting to die away. He chose not to take chances, waiting for it to roll over them and weaken to light ripples before releasing the shield. He smiled inwardly as the light faded when he noticed that he did not feel significantly more tired afterwards.

He stood and let out a long breath. "Whew..."

"Are you holding out okay?" Kari asked him.

"Yeah," he turned to glance back at the others, whom he was glad to see were unhurt due to his ability to protect them. Then his brow furrowed as he thought about Matt.

"Hey, where's Weregarurumon right now?" he called to his brother.

Matt frowned, gazing at the entrance to the hall. "I don't know..." he said softly, looking troubled. "He's probably still on the stairs somewhere... but if that wave of darkness went out the room and down the hall, then he definitely got hit." Then he gave a small, but proud smile. "But I know he pushed through it."

TK knew that pride well, one that spoke of partnerships and the great confidence in each other. It was the bonds they had between each other that gave them such power in battle. It always had been.

Matt still looked troubled though. He kept staring at the entrance, his eyes distant as he stood unmoving.

"Matt?"

"I'm worried about Tai and the others," he replied, still gazing. "I want to believe that he's fine, because I have faith that he can pull through... but realistically, I don't know. And with everyone else, and this battle, I mean, I don't think we've ever fought in a full scale assault quite like this before..."

"We'll make it," MagnaAngemon stated firmly, turning abruptly from them and marching straight towards the door, that still had the corrupted darkness streaming out of it, wafting up and dissipating away like smoke. "But right now, we must secure this warp and break the connection between the Dark Ocean and this world. Angewomon, help me close this."

The two digimon flew side by side towards the doorway, carefully avoiding direct contact with the dark tendrils that crept through. Once they reached it, they separated, one angelic being going to each of the great double doors that stood wide open to each side. They briefly vanished from view as they slipped behind them, nothing but their natural light illuminating their positions.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Angewomon let out a yelp. There was a bright flash, and TK suddenly sensed the corrupted darkness manifest, curling around the doors protectively. There was the sound of something crashing, and Angewomon groaned, as though she had been thrown to the ground.

"The doors have a self-defense mechanism..." she called, sounding slightly irked.

"... so I gathered," MagnaAngemon replied slowly. "Let's attempt attacks then."

TK watched as the two digimon tried to find some method of closing the door without touching it and awakening the force that protected it. He glanced around the area as well, searching for anything that might manually shut the door and break off the connection between the Digiworld and the Dark Ocean.

He saw glowing runes and smears on the walls, strangely bright looking in comparison to the dark stone they lay upon. "What about the glowing stuff on the wall?" he asked, glancing at the other two humans present.

They shook their heads. "Pretty sure those are just a light source," Matt answered, turning to Kari for confirmation. "What do you think?"

She sighed. "I don't sense anything. It's just as you said."

The digimon were apparently attempting to attack, as TK could hear them shouting out as they always did during battles. Still, the doors would not move; there were lights flashing and the sounds of an almost metallic clash, but nothing else occurred. He thought he heard MagnaAngemon grumbling irritably as a result.

It was then that the echoes of large padding footsteps reverberated from the entrance of the room.

TK and Kari spun around first, though Matt just smiled as he watched them. Disregarding his brother's reaction, TK focused in the direction of the footsteps and tried to sense whether or not the Spawn had finally made it up to their location. However, he could feel nothing of the darkness approaching, only that from the door behind them and hordes of individuals below and outside. He could feel it emanating from the tower as well, but nothing matched with the being they all knew was coming towards them.

Then, before they could wonder who this being was, Weregarurumon stepped into the hall, panting as he slowed to a walk.

"Matt, that wave, are you – TK!"

The digimon bounded forward excitedly, the joy in him showing in each huge leap. "It's you! It's really you! You're all right!"

He was charging forward, and TK realized almost belatedly that Weregarurumon might run them over, but then the digimon skidded to a stop just as he reached them. He was still grinning toothily at them, though he looked slightly sheepish. "I would hug you right now, but this form is perhaps a little too strong for that."

TK found that he had to laugh. It was nice, a relief from all the tension and fear of earlier. "It's fine, you can make up for it later. It's great to be back."

Weregarurumon looked ecstatic. "That's wonderful! We're glad to have you back." Then his expression sobered as he gazed at all of them. "And on a more serious note, how are all of you after that wave of darkness?"

Matt gave his partner a thumbs up. "We're good," he replied with a smile. "TK has light abilities like Kari, he made a shield. What about you?"

The digimon was too busy staring at TK to answer, the words 'light abilities' having apparently grabbed his attention.

"You too...?" he gaped, furry ears twitching. "So... it's just like what happened to Kari...?" Then he abruptly turned to Matt, growling. "What, does this mean that you'll manifest the ability to blow things up?"

Matt chuckled. "I wish. Then maybe I could be more useful in fighting."

"As an answer to your question Weregarurumon, yes," MagnaAngemon stepped out from behind the door, shaking his head tiredly. "The darkness has grown very strong... so it seems that the light is strengthening to match. Anyway, we have something we must figure out... this door is how the darkness of the Dark Ocean is seeping into this realm, and so far, Angewomon and I have failed to close it."

Weregarurumon quietly strode up towards the door, wincing as he neared it. He stood there, staring directly into the black depths of the opening, his eyes narrowing until they were angry slits.

"I have no idea how to close this," he admitted, bowing his head while his tail lay limply behind him. "But the darkness here is familiar," he added, glancing at Matt. His human partner gazed back, nodding in understanding; it seemed the two were sharing the same thoughts, and they both knew exactly what was being referred to.

TK thought he knew what it was. He had been there, right after the pair had dispersed the darkness following them that had begun to manifest through his brother's despair. It seemed that it was possible for this particular vein of darkness to find its way into the Digiworld through channels other than open gateways and subtle shifts of the world's balance... and knowing this made him feel even more uncomfortable.

Angewomon had also come from behind the door, and moved to stand beside Weregarurumon. "Considering what the Dark Ocean has done to us, the last thing we need is this darkness coming through into our world."

"Definitely," the wolf-like digimon agreed, crossing his arms.

TK frowned as he looked up at the door, his sense of dark and light telling him that the balance between the two was even more tilted and it would only worsen. "Yeah. Something feels bad too... the corrupted darkness coming out stronger. Not to mention that if we could break through, then Daemon might be able follow us here..."

Matt winced at the mention of Daemon, though he raised an eyebrow. "Corrupted darkness?" he commented lightly. "There's a difference between corrupted and normal darkness?"

"Yes, there is," TK sighed. This was something he was going to have to explain to everyone later.

Then, having been silent for quite some time, Kari abruptly straightened, her form filled with a resolve. "Angewomon, come with me. We're going to find Tai. You guys stay here and watch the door."

The other two digimon and the brother turned towards her. "Will you be all right? Just the two of you?" Weregarurumon asked gruffly.

"Yeah, and what about your light abilities?" Matt asked, frowning as though he wanted to stop her.

"We'll be fine," Kari nodded, smiling, though TK could tell Angewomon looked less certain of this as she flew towards her partner. "You guys keep trying to figure out what to do with this thing."

He nodded back. "Okay. Stay safe, and bring Tai back with you," he added. He too wanted to go and help her find her brother, still believing that despite what he had done, Tai would be alive and well, and Kari could help him.

She gave him, Matt, and their partners a smart, but determined wave as she jumped up into Angewomon's arms. Then the digimon's wings fluttered, and the two were gone.

TK turned once again to the door, keeping a close watch on it, making sure that he could tell when another surge of darkness was about to come so he had the time to form a shield and protect their group of four. In the meantime, he also wracked his mind with thoughts of how they might close the door. Matt and MagnaAngemon were already busy searching around it, looking for any clue that could tell them how the warp had been opened in the first place, while Weregarurumon stood with TK to help monitor the door.

Matt frowned as he kneeled close to it, though he seemed wary of the darkness, having been exposed to it directly. "I kind of wish Izzy or Ken were here," he commented. "They're way better at this kind of thing."

"Yeah," TK agreed, wishing there was more he could do. He would have preferred it best if the door did absolutely nothing and Kari and Angewomon came back with Tai and Metalgreymon, and then they somehow figured out how to shut the hole between the two realms, but he guessed there was only so much he could hope for. In the end, it all came down to waiting...

* * *

Kari felt alive again, as Angewomon flew down the stairs and she watched her D3. It was odd because, as the stairs were spiral and the digivices mapped things on a two-dimensional scale, the fact they were on different floors made it rather difficult to figure out where they all were.

She could see her own signal, as well as those of Matt and TK above. It made her smile, knowing that now there was one more digivice signal present than they had originally entered the tower with. However, what worried her most was the last signal, the one she knew belonged to Tai, towards the edges of the screen where she knew the tower must have widened as it extended downwards. She kept watching it, her heart flying at the dot's movement, and she to herself to believe that it was Tai himself, not his digivice being tossed around by the enemy.

TK's words had given her hope again. He was right; it was entirely possible that Tai could have survived, and if that was the case, then she needed to find him so that she see for herself that he was alive, and help him if he had been injured. Her mind was flying with possibilities – perhaps Metalgreymon had caught up and been in time to save him, or maybe one of the others had come as reinforcement, or maybe even a power of Courage could have come alive within him like Light and Hope did for herself and TK, or perhaps he had in fact been strong enough to withstand everything, fighting back with all his might and the sword in his hands, and he was still down there in that circular room, destroying all enemies that came near...

It was heartwarming to think optimistically, but even still, she dreaded if all of that was for naught.

As they continued down, she sensed dark presences waiting on the stairs ahead. "Let me off, Spawn nearby," she spoke, and Angewomon slowed enough for her to hop off carefully.

"You still have the energy to fight?" the digimon asked, sounding concerned.

"I'll be okay," she answered, checking her footing on the steps. Then she pulled out her D3, preparing to use it to channel her energy once again. "Let's get through these."

It was a strange feeling, Kari had to admit, charging headlong into the fray alongside her partner as a combatant in these halls. Earlier, she had always been fighting alongside Tai, Matt, and Patamon, watching for them as they tried to attack and defend beside her. Now, with just her and Angewomon, it felt almost as though they were working as their own team, but instead of giving her partner the ability to become more powerful while depending on her, she was now with her as a battle companion.

The first few Spawn were destroyed in their assault. Kari sent light curving down the hallway towards the others she sensed, out of view, as Angewomon made quick work of the rest.

"There are significantly less of these than there were earlier," the digimon noted, as the last Spawn twisted and vanished away, still shrieking as it went.

Kari began down the stairs again, still wary. "From the sound of it, there haven't been any reinforcements," she answered, passing a few glowing runes on the dark stone wall. "Otherwise, Matt and Weregarurumon would have been swamped earlier."

"Then perhaps there's a chance," Angewomon replied, floating in the air behind her. "If only we can make sure that the doorway to the Dark Ocean is shut and sealed."

She shook her head somberly. "We'll find a way. We always do."

They continued on. Multiple times as they went down the circular staircase, the dot on her D3 screen that she knew was Tai's digivice wavered out of view, only to reappear as they made their way past the next curve. She recognized this area now, where Garurumon had galloped up at a fast pace, racing to reach the top of the tower before it was too late. Now she had another task set stubbornly within her, to be sure that her brother had survived his charge, as TK had so adamantly shouted and Matt had been trying to have faith in.

As they made their way downward and the stairs flattened into the sloping ramp, Kari was suddenly aware of a large group of Spawn, all clustered in one area below them for some reason. One turn later, she thought she could hear the sounds of battle echoing in the stone halls, the mixture of low groans and angry shrieks along with explosions and cries of pain.

Out of instinct, she formed a glowing ball of light in her hand, one that crackled with energy. They were still too far away for her to throw it and hone it in onto one of the dark beings on the staircase, so she maintained it, slowly placing more power into it as she ran, Angewomon still floating behind her.

Then the sounds grew louder, and she heard what had to be roars...

And then Spawn came running up the incline.

Kari threw the ball at them, watching in odd satisfaction as it exploded upon impact, destroying those closest to it at the center and damaging others further away, as they cringed and crumpled to the floor. She fired off short bursts at the others, finishing them off.

"Celestial Arrow!" Angewomon cried out, her arrow striking through one of the melded ones that took the form of an ogre-like creature. It screamed and tottered briefly before breaking into wisps of dark smoke that dissipated away.

There were even more now, many running at them as it seemed the Spawn had realized there was another target in the upwards direction. Kari found herself striking out with blades, beams, blasts, anything that her light manifested itself as she fought. More than once, she also surrounded her partner with a shield, pushing enemies away from her while Angewomon could target the melded beings that seemed to go more towards her.

Then, as Angewomon created a cross as protection and pushed forward into the crowd, a smashing rush that destroyed those caught in the charge, they heard another roar. This time however, they were much closer, and judging from the voice, it could only be one digimon.

"Metalgreymon!" Angewomon shouted out.

Kari felt a weight lift from her chest. "Go help him!" she yelled, and with her silent urging, Angewomon sped through the air down towards where they had heard the roar. She knew her partner trusted her ability to protect herself for the moment, and with the realization that Tai's partner was still alive and fighting...

_Then that means Tai's got to be somewhere._

The Spawn were still everywhere, some attempting to merge, others diving at her with all their might. With renewed hope, Kari let her light fly, as the beams curved and struck at those closest to her. That hope was just enough to keep her going, fighting on against the dark beings that still tried to swipe at her hungrily, wanting her power for themselves and their master.

She would not let them come close. The light swirled around her as a protective whirlwind, and she moved towards them instead, placing them in range for the brilliant rays to smite the enemy and explode upon impact, filling the hallways with white radiance, nearly eliminating even the shadows from view.

At every open moment she had, she glanced at her D3 to see that blinking dot that she knew had to belong to her brother. It was closer now, Angewomon must have passed him, and that dot was moving even when she stood still, it had to be him...

_Please be him... it's got to be him..._

She lessened a little bit on her attacks, focusing on individual Spawn rather than throwing a large scale blast at clusters, with the caution to not accidentally strike anyone who was not an enemy.

Now she was acting more defensively, surrounding herself with a shield while sending spears of light at each Spawn around her. She could sense less of them around her now, and pushing through past the exhaustion and weakening attacks, she made sure that the enemies were defeated and destroyed, one by one, because it meant less of these evil creatures that were harming those she cared about, and fewer forces for those in power within the other realm.

But even Kari knew that she had limits, and the strain was growing more now, having been fighting almost continuously for so long, and already feeling the fatigue back during her rescue of TK in the Dark Ocean. When her strongest, focused blast did not destroy a Spawn outright, like it had before, she was suddenly struck with a sense of mortality, wondering what would happen if she grew too tired to continue...

She gave up on the shield, choosing instead to dodge and evade any strikes she could see or sense coming. It allowed her to push more power into her attacks, and once more she defeated the Spawn around her, one after another, the knowledge that their number was diminishing giving her the drive to continue on.

There were six left now... she blasted one away. There should be only five left now... but no, she only sensed four... she released small blades of light that sliced a Spawn cleanly into shreds, making it scream and vanish into nothing but wisps of darkness... she could hear panting and footsteps now, and she realized there were only two left, and one was too close to her, so she covered her arms in light, batting away at it desperately, knowing that every one of her hits would hurt it, and then somehow she knew that this being she was locked in combat with was the last one, and she heard the sound of metal scraping and a familiar roaring yell with a rapid charge...

"Get the hell away from my sister!"

A blade cut the Spawn in half.

Kari felt her heart fly as she saw the figure, tall and strong with brown bushy hair, turn towards her, having just destroyed the last enemy.

_It's him... it's really him...!_

"Tai!" she screamed out of pure joy.

She raced forward and practically threw herself at him, all exhaustion forgotten. Tai pulled her close, hugging her tightly and seemingly aware of all the pain he had put her through; she gripped hard him hard, just trying to take in that her older brother was alive and standing there before her, breathing and somehow still in relatively good health.

"Hey, I'm sorry for worrying you so much," he whispered softly, his familiar voice reassuring and gentle.

Kari felt a tear run down her cheek. "Don't do it again," she murmured. "I can't lose you either."

They could only stay that way for a moment, still caught in the midst of battle. Kari could hear Angewomon's shouts echoing from down the hall, and the roars from below that shook the very walls. Despite it all, she could only think, that somehow everything had to be all right in the end, if Tai had charged his way into the enemy and survived to stand before her, alive and well. Everything inside her flew with joy and hope, and she could only laugh as she felt her eyes burning, the tears bleeding into her brother's damp shirt.

Then, remembering the path they had taken on their way up the tower, she pulled herself back slightly, gazing into his face, one she had been so afraid she would never see again.

"How did you manage to get up here?" she asked as she dried her eyes with her sleeve. She had almost decided not to ask. Just seeing him and being able to hug him was enough for her.

He shrugged, grinning. "I got a lift."

She raised an eyebrow. "How?" She shook her head. "Never mind that, how are you alive? You're - " she paused as she took in his form and saw the numerous cuts and gashes that decorated his body, many more than she remembered having seen on him when Garurumon had made that jump. She could even see singes and burns where he had obviously been attacked by something other than the claws of the Spawn, and she thought there was something akin to angry bite marks on his shoulder and legs.

Tai noticed her horrified gaze and glanced down at himself. "It looks worse than it is," he answered, looking at her calmly. "I'm doing okay."

She frowned and focused her light into him to heal his wounds. "Well, it looks awful. I bet you're running on pure adrenaline right now."

He sighed and scratched his head with his free hand, the other still gripping the sword. "Maybe." Then he stopped and stared as the pink glow of Kari's light completely surrounded him. "Wait, is this... are you healing me?"

She nodded with a smile. Tai's face lit up, as the realization seemed to register within him.

"Wow..." he breathed. "Wow... this battle's been something, huh? For your light to come out, and now for this to wake up too..."

Kari let the warmth of her light carry her through the healing of her brother's wounds. Despite the great fatigue she felt, she pushed herself into it, the memory of watching him throw himself into the Spawn to hold them off while she and the others continued on more than enough as incentive to make sure he did not have any lasting injuries from his act.

It was moments later that Tai gently shook her away. "Thanks Kari, that's enough," he said, his face quickly growing serious. "I'm mostly okay, save it for the others. Anyway, I came up here because it's past dawn now. Did you make - "

"Kari!" TK's voice echoed down the hall, and he ran into view. "Something's happening to the door - " TK gaped. "Is that a sword?"

Tai dropped it.

"TK!" he shouted, staring with wide eyes, momentarily frozen in place and completely unaffected by the clattering sound the sword made against the stone ground. His mouth moved slightly, as though he were trying to say something; finally he gave up, ran forward instead and grabbed the younger boy towards him into a bone-crushing embrace.

"You're alive... you're alive, you're here, you're not in the Dark Ocean any more, this is great – oh shit!" Tai abruptly let him go, wincing as he gazed back. "Sorry, I didn't hurt you, did I?"

TK let out a small laugh, smiling. "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

Tai took a quick look at Kari. She smiled and shrugged, gazing back at him brightly.

"Healing, right?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Yup."

Tai grinned and poked TK in the forehead. "Yeah, the bruise you got from running into the ceiling is gone." Then his expression softened. "Really though, I'm glad you're okay and you're back."

TK chuckled. "Me too." Then he smiled brightly up at the older boy. "And you! Matt told me what you did here in this tower. I knew you made it through. I'm glad to see you're all right."

He seemed much more like his normal self, optimistic but with an underlying seriousness that appeared during battles. It was something she had missed.

Tai was ruffling TK playfully on the head, mussing up his already messy hair and ignoring the younger boy's protests, when Kari remembered what TK and the others had been doing before she and Angewomon had left them to find her brother.

She frowned. "TK," she brought up concernedly, "what about the door? And what about Matt and MagnaAngemon and Weregarurumon?"

TK swatted away Tai's hand and sighed tiredly. "MagnaAngemon has it covered. He used a Gate of Destiny to absorb everything that was coming out. The door starting shooting out black lightning and spurts of the corrupted darkness. I had a shield up for a little while, but MagnaAngemon figured he could control it with his Gate, and had me run down to try and find you. Uh, and good job clearing out the Spawn too, made running down way easier."

She blushed a little at the compliment, but thought back to what he had said. The mention of black lightning reminded her of something from her brief stint in the Dark Ocean while trying to rescue TK.

"Black lightning..." she murmured, the memory fresh in her mind. "You mean... like what Daemon did?"

He looked confused. She grimaced, having not wanted to bring up exactly what had happened in front of Tai. "To you," she added.

TK's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh," he replied, and his entire body twitched slightly. "That's what it looked like?"

"What did Daemon do to you?" Tai asked, looking tense as he gazed at the younger boy.

She and TK shared a glance. "Later," they both replied in unison. Tai scowled, looking unhappy with that statement, but seemed to accept it for the moment. After all, they were in the middle of a battle and there were more important things that they needed to do.

"The door was the passageway between here and the Dark Ocean," she explained to Tai. "There've been waves of darkness coming out of it, and we're trying to get that door closed."

He nodded to them. "Makes sense. I know what you're talking about with the wave thing."

TK smiled, apparently relieved that there was less explaining needed. "Great," he exclaimed. "Now let's get back up there, maybe we could get the warp sealed."

"Anything to finish this," Tai replied. He turned to face the downward slope of the floor, gazing down the tunnel-like hall where the sounds of combat echoed up towards them, the clangs of metal and shouts of both Spawn and digimon.

Kari followed his line of sight, suddenly remembering how her brother had been concerned about his partner. Metalgreymon was obviously fine, and she wondered if it was because of him that Tai had managed to survive his charge into the Spawn earlier. She knew that Angewomon was with him right now; she could hear the battle cries, and the flashes that lit the hall told her they were working in tandem against the enemy.

"Earlier, when you were holding off the Spawn," she recounted to him. "Metalgreymon got to you in time, didn't he?"

Tai's face suddenly broke out into an almost devious grin. "Yeah he did. And, about that..."

The sound of an explosion from further down and the triumphant battle cry that followed answered all of their questions.

"Was that... 'Terra Force' I just heard?" TK asked, his eyes widening.

"Yup."

"But we gave back Azulongmon's digicore."

"Yup."

TK and Kari both jumped up in a simultaneous whooping cheer.

Digievolution to Mega. It was something they had all believed impossible after returning the power of their borrowed digicore, though Gennai had assured them they could still digivolve to the Ultimate level, with some effort. This battle had proven more than they could have imagined... awakening of light, and now the fact that they had no more limitations.

Wargreymon was the one fighting off the Spawn.

She was too excited to care how it had happened. "So that's how you got up here!" she exclaimed. "Wargreymon brought you up!"

Tai grinned widely, an expression of confidence that she had not seen since the soccer game the day before. It seemed so long ago now, when everything seemed carefree and peaceful.

"Yeah," he answered, and she realized that he looked full of hope now, especially with TK standing next to him. "And that's also why I'm still alive. He's been holding back so he doesn't demolish the tower, but I think that might be how we win. Maybe Weregarurumon could get to Mega too."

Then he turned and called a word down the hall, something that Kari recognized as signal. She heard a loud roar in response, one that she knew was Wargreymon shouting back; a moment later, there was another shout, a battle cry that echoed off the stone walls accompanied by the sound of an explosion.

The tower shook. Tai knelt down to the ground, steadying himself while grabbing his sword by the handle, his entire body leaning close to the black, curved wall in an attempt to balance against the shaking structure. Kari and TK followed his lead, placing hands and feet on the floor and the wall in efforts to not fall and tumble down towards the main combat.

Somehow though, there was no sense of a threat. A warm breeze blew over them from below, a few specks of what might have been rock reduced to sand flying past. It sounded almost like beneath them, something was breaking and tumbling down, stones crashing against each other and falling out of place.

Then two large figures soared into view.

"Grab on!" Wargreymon shouted, his body close to the ground as he sped towards them, Angewomon right behind.

They needed no other prompt. Already crouching, they jumped up just as Wargreymon flew by, and the digimon reached down to scoop the three into his arms. Kari briefly felt winded as the force of Wargreymon's movement hit her, but she focused on grabbing onto him so that she did not fall and tumble back down the slope.

TK was right next to her, gripping tightly onto Wargreymon's claw. To her amusement, Tai still had his sword in one hand, but he was a little more firmly in his partner's grasp than either of them, and he seemed perfectly in his element as he sat in the crutch of the digimon's arm. She gazed up at Wargreymon, smiling in her realization of how they might have more of a fighting chance now than they had before.

"The hallway should be sealed with several layers of debris," the digimon reported with a satisfied hint to his voice. "It should take some time for the Spawn to make their way through. And TK!"

It was almost amusing to see the warrior digimon seem so awkwardly giddy, particularly when he was trying to find some way to express his joy without crushing all of them.

TK had to physically twist his body to look up at Wargreymon, but he looked ecstatic. "Hey!" he spoke upwards. "It's great to see you. Mega, huh?"

Wargreymon let out a rumbling laugh. "Yeah. Who would have guessed?"

They continued speaking to each other, but Kari was more preoccupied, caught in her memory of the first flight through these passages. She remembered the first time going up these steps, racing against time while still reeling from the shock of seeing her brother dive into battle. The trip upwards was different, as they flew through the air; this time, two boys and one digimon that had not been present the first time were with her. She had to smile, thinking how lucky she was they had made it.

And suddenly, unwillingly, another thought arose, and the smile slipped from her face.

_What about everyone else? What's going on outside?_

She caught part of a conversation between TK and Tai involving some of what he had missed of the battle, with some comments from Angewomon and Wargreymon. TK's face seemed to grow paler by the moment, but his brow was set as though he were busy focusing on the important bits of information he needed to know. Point A. Earlier battle plans. Joe as Medic.

Tai had just mentioned energy bars when the walls widened out into the cavernous hall housing the door. He stopped speaking, staring out at the floor and the rune-lined walls, the darkness of the room too much to light it completely.

Regardless, those waiting there sped forward for them.

Weregarurumon leaped into the air in a show of joy, while Matt's entire being brightened at the sight of them.

"Tai! You made it!" he shouted, running towards the group, which landed carefully on the stone floor. "And Wargreymon! Whoa!"

The digimon let out a triumphant roar as he let all three humans down to the ground. Tai laughed as he hopped off, jogging forward holding the sword over his shoulder. "Yeah, Mega. And yup, made it all right."

His expression calmed a bit though as he slowed to a stop, a serious but grateful look on his face. "Thanks for having faith in me Matt," he spoke. "And you did good with Kari."

Matt gazed back at him, smiling sincerely. "It was no problem. I'm glad you're okay."

They were silent for a moment, everyone else still watching them.

"You look like crap," Matt commented wryly.

Tai snorted. "So do you," he pointed out.

Matt made a strangled noise and pulled his best friend into a hug, sword and all.

"Goddamn it Tai," he choked out. "I can't believe I actually let you do that stupid stunt back there."

She watched them, seeing as the two friends stayed in the embrace for a moment. That was all the time they allowed though, and they separated quickly; everyone knew that while there was no longer a time limit, they still had a battle to finish.

Tai gave Matt a gratifying pat on the shoulder as they turned towards the door. He glanced at the sword still clutched in his hand, and back at the other boy, who was now unarmed. "You lost your pole," he pointed out, frowning.

Matt sighed. "Yes, I did. Any of the Spawn drop something I could use that we can run and grab?"

Tai grimaced at the question. "Well, I saw a really big battle-axe..."

"Uh, not that useful I guess..."

"What'd we miss?" TK butted in abruptly, changing the subject and glancing warily at the door.

Kari understood his urgency, and all of them looked at the darkness that was still streaming into the world. The figures were barely visible, but she could see the outline of the stone double doors, the glowing runes lining the walls, and in particular, a digimon angel standing directly before them, his back to them as he faced the portal to the otherworld with another portal that he himself had opened.

"Not much," Weregarurumon rumbled, stepping towards them. He tilted his head slightly backwards in the door's direction. "MagnaAngemon has most of it under control, but we don't know how long this can last."

She remembered the waves of darkness and the attempts to close the passageway, and wracked her mind for an answer. It was only a matter of time before the Spawn below broke through the debris and made their way up to the cavernous hall, and from what she had heard from TK, the power of the Dark Ocean was only growing stronger in its attempt to break into the Digiworld.

"So how do we close this?" Wargreymon was asking.

"We don't know," Angewomon answered tiredly. "We already tried earlier, with attacks and our own physical being, and there's nothing in here that could mechanically close it. For all we know, only the Spawn or other dark beings could control it."

"Hmm..." Wargreymon took a few steps towards it. "I suppose I could launch a full attack at it myself - "

"And destroy the door, ending any chances of closing the warp?" she shot back, more out of concern than anything else. "You shouldn't risk it."

Tai had his free arm crossed over his chest, holding his shoulder as he set his jaw. "So what now then? Email Gennai for help, ask the other Guardians to close it for us, go find Ken and get his dark D3 to work?"

"Considering Ken's condition? I'm going with the former option," Matt argued back. "So we email, hope the D-terminals work, and just have MagnaAngemon chill while we wait?"

Tai shook his head. "It's the best option we have."

They all turned to MagnaAngemon, who had not moved during the conversation, too focused on absorbing the corrupted darkness into his Gate of Destiny. Kari wondered if the digimon had been listening, but she did not have to wait long to find out.

The digimon let out an exasperated groan. "Listen, as great an idea as that sounds," he replied, sounding slightly annoyed, "I can't just stay here with my Gate open for all eternity. And the darkness is getting stronger; to be honest, I don't know if I can hold this open much longer."

Tai sighed, shrugging, though he looked a bit troubled. "Well, that settles it then. We'll contact Gennai and hope for the best."

TK suddenly strode forward towards his partner, stopping as he reached the digimon. His mouth moved, but Kari heard nothing from him; his demeanor was solemn as he gazed directly into the darkness streaming out of the warp while he spoke. He almost seemed distant, far away as though some part of him had changed since his disappearance into the Dark Ocean, and she watched him, wondering what it was...

Tai was still speaking, apparently answering a comment from Matt. "I don't like it either," he replied with a frown, "but we don't really have much of a choice right now. We're all tired, we can't get this closed on our own, and who knows what's going on outside. We've got the rest of our team to worry about too."

Matt clenched his fists. "Makes sense. Okay, so what's our plan for getting out of here then?"

"I hadn't thought that far yet. Gimme a sec."

TK was approaching them, having seemingly finished his conversation with MagnaAngemon. His eyes glinted with something Kari could not quite pinpoint, but turned to gaze at everyone, silent but attentive.

She frowned briefly, thinking about the trip to the top of the tower. "We're not going to go all the way back down, are we?" she remarked, worried. It had taken them so long to make it up, and with the number of enemies that had to still be below, as well as the obstacles now in their path as a result of destruction from the constant battles, the way down would take a fairly long time.

Tai did not answer immediately, apparently mulling things over and trying to think up a decent strategy.

TK grimaced. "I don't know anything about how this place is set up," he replied helplessly.

"That's fine," Tai responded to him, his brow furrowed in thought. "Normally, I'd say we just bust our way out and fly down, but..."

"If that's the case, I'll hold onto one of you," Weregarurumon answered, glancing over at Wargreymon.

"No," MagnaAngemon stated very firmly.

Everyone turned to him in surprise, and the digimon, whose back was still towards them, continued to speak.

"This darkness... it's using the tower to embed itself into the fabric of the Digiworld, from what I've seen and felt," he said. "But this tower is also keeping it from spreading directly into the air. If anything, we should go partway down the tower and try to block the passage of the darkness down before we even try breaking out."

Kari looked at the others. If anything, it was clear that they all wanted to leave this place as soon as they could, but MagnaAngemon's words were right. She glanced down at her feet, sensing the corrupted darkness flowing across and through the stone.

"In that case, I've got an idea," Matt suddenly brought up as he gazed at everyone. "We go down 'til we get to the end of the tunnel at that circular room, get it caved in, then we keep going and break out. Shouldn't be too hard with a Mega on our side, right?"

Tai smiled and briefly looked up at his friend.

"You're definitely a better thinker than me right now," he answered with a hint of a grin. "We're following your idea. Let's get going everyone."

The transition to movement went quickly. Kari found herself in Angewomon's arms, while Tai climbed onto Wargreymon's shoulder and Weregarurumon helped his partner up onto his own. TK ran back to MagnaAngemon, who still had the Gate open but was visibly straining now; a moment later, the door had a large glowing yellow shield surrounding it, keeping the power of the Dark Ocean at bay.

TK clearly had trouble containing it. MagnaAngemon, sensing the danger, let the Gate close in a brilliant flash of light, and immediately picked up his partner.

"Let's go!" he cried out as he spread his wings and flew across the hall.

They all followed.

Kari felt TK's shield collapse just as they entered the stairway, and despite the strain on herself, she pushed out a shield of her own as a precaution behind all of them. To her great relief, the pressure of the darkness from the rear was nowhere near as great as it had been when it had washed over them earlier. MagnaAngemon's Gate of Destiny had absorbed the majority of the current wave.

Despite that, she could still sense the sheer amount of the corrupted darkness that was escaping through the door. It almost felt as though Dragomon's will itself were seeping into the world, using the tower as a conduit through which it connected to the air and earth.

As she lost her hold and the shield flickered out of existence, she caught TK's eye. He wordlessly put up another one, protecting them from the last of the wave, but from the glance he gave her, they were both thinking the same thing.

_It's almost like Dragomon and Daemon were planning to invade this world from the beginning... they were originally trying to use TK first, but since that didn't work, they just went ahead with their plan anyway..._

They continued on in relative silence, TK's shield soon vanishing like hers. She saw Matt pull out his D-terminal, opening it and checking the messages with one hand while tightly grasping Weregarurumon's fur. His brow furrowed; she guessed it was due to the interference that the corrupted darkness had with the workings of the device, like it had when she and the others had ventured into the warps in their earlier attempts to reach the Dark Ocean.

Then he began typing as quickly as he could with his one hand.

"Matt, what're you up to?" Tai asked curiously, leaning over a bit while he hung onto Wargreymon.

Matt kept his eyes focused on the small screen before him. "Emailing Gennai about the door and asking for help closing it. I'm also letting everyone know we got TK back," he explained. "I know the darkness here won't let the messages get sent out for a while, but I figure now's as good a time as any."

Kari could not help but smile. It was at least one source of good news that everyone would be able to see – their mission to save TK had been successful. The boy himself was also smiling, twisted around to gaze at his brother from his place in MagnaAngemon's arms.

"I'm glad that we can send it," he spoke sincerely.

Before long, the stairs has melted away into the sloping ramp, the walls curving into the form of the tunnel. Kari knew they were close to where Wargreymon had blocked off the Spawn from continuing up, and hoped that the otherworldly beings had not merged and collected into a massive force on the other side.

TK was also aware of their location.

"MagnaAngemon, Wargreymon blocked off the tunnel pretty close to here, so be careful," he called up to his partner worriedly.

"Understood," the digimon answered. "I'll watch out for – whoah!"

MagnaAngemon flared his wings in the air, forcing himself to a halt before he crashed himself and his partner into the large pile of rubble that blocked the passage completely.

The others, having been lagging a little behind, did not need to stop quite as urgently, but fanned out as best they could to gaze at the barrier of stone and metal that Wargreymon had caused earlier.

Kari focused on it. She could see from where she was that the pieces of debris looked firmly piled on each other, lacking the signs that it would soon be broken through, but her senses told her of a multitude of strong dark presences on the other side. She was not surprised to also sense several attacks being thrown at the barrier, chipping away at it across from them.

Tai whistled. "Wow, good job Wargreymon," he commented proudly. "I thought they would've gotten through by now."

The digimon seemed oddly smug as he replied. "I made sure that the surrounding ceiling was unstable as well. More cave-ins for them to deal with if any of this was cleared."

TK leaned a bit out of MagnaAngemon's arms, squinting at the rocks in examination, both visually and with his other senses. "I can hear them, they're close," he reported, frowning. "There's a lot of them... pretty sure they've all merged too..."

He glanced at Kari for confirmation, and she nodded. She could feel it too – only the merged Spawn or other similarly powered beings gave off that kind of dark strength.

Wargreymon merely looked forward, eyes glinting with determination.

"Stand back, MagnaAngemon," he called. "We're breaking through."

The angelic digimon nodded as he retreated away from the cave-in, taking TK with him. As he reached where Angewomon and Weregarurumon had crowded together, Wargreymon stepped before them, with what had to be his own version of a confident smile as he formed energy between his claws.

"Terra Force!"

The explosion, coupled with the power of the corrupted darkness within the makeup of the tower itself, nearly threw them backwards, even as the digimon moved to shield their partners. Flying bits of rock and dust scattered, filling the air with what looked like blackened fog. Kari had to cover her nose and mouth, wincing a bit at the hot wind that blew past them, but then Angewomon and the other digimon were moving, trying to rush through what they all knew was a mass of their enemies.

It was almost too close. She felt the presence of the darkness all around them as they charged through, so much that it was almost suffocating. Nothing attacked them though; Wargreymon's attack had destroyed those immediately by the blast, and those who had survived seemed too injured or stunned to counter.

She saw Wargreymon leading them, clawing his way through Spawn and throwing them roughly aside as they broke back out into the other side of the tunnel. "You're all okay, right?" he yelled back to them. "I tried to limit my attack's power so the shock wave wouldn't be too damaging!"

"We're fine," Weregarurumon rumbled, similarly punching any Spawn that neared them. "Keep going!"

There was no more time for conversation. They continued their flight forward and down, reaching those enemies who had been less affected by the attack. It felt like a blur; Kari was aware of light, fire, more explosions, the dust forcing her to close her eyes more than once, the feel of something grainy on her lips, and the darkness that was still all around them.

With Wargreymon at the front leading them, they moved much more quickly than she recalled them having done against these same enemies. Matt and Tai, no longer as directly fighting, were seemingly contenting themselves with aiming their digivices at anything that drew too close, or threatened their partners in any way; she could see TK doing the same, occasionally throwing down bolts of light or shielding them when the need came.

However, most of their focus was on moving forward rather than defeating every being around them.

With a cry, Kari forced her light out again, into a shield that shoved all the nearest Spawn, merged and individual, away and behind them. She had an odd feeling of satisfaction at their surprised wailing shouts; now the tunnel was slightly clearer, with less enemies to slow their way. She caught TK glancing at her gratefully, though he looked worried at the same time, while the others still seemed busy trying their best to push onwards.

They were moving so quickly, fighting so much more effectively now, that she was surprised when she looked up and realized that the tunnel was about to end.

"Hold on everyone!" Wargreymon roared just as he reached the edge and leaped.

She could see everyone else – Weregarurumon as he gracefully dove, Matt gripping onto his shoulder as tightly as he could, Tai firmly grounded on his partner, TK in MagnaAngemon's arms, and then Angewomon had reached the end as well, and they were soaring gracefully through the air in a room with open space, much larger than the tunnel they had just been in –

_This room... it was this room..._

Wargreymon suddenly twisted in the air, his claws lifting up as energy formed between them. Tai yelped at the sudden movement as he held on for dear life, but they all knew what his partner was about to do, and as they fell towards the floor, the digimon gave a roar and threw the great ball of energy at the entrance to the tunnel.

The explosion lit up the room, and she heard the crumble of breaking rock and the squeal of bending metal. In Angewomon's arms though, she could no longer see up above as the angel digimon dove with her wings folded, and instead the only thing in sight was the ground below.

It was too reminiscent of what she had seen on the flight up. The Spawn covered the ground below, waiting for them, lining the circular room and blocking the exit, crowding into masses as they jumped in angry, but eager preparation to attack those who had dared defy and escape from their master.

To Kari, the faint image of a boy charging into the crowd danced before her eyes.

She glanced over at Tai, atop Wargreymon with his sword still held tightly in one hand.

_He's alive, he made it through. He's here with us now. That's what matters. I can't stay too hung up over what might have been._

Many of the Spawn began transforming immediately, their furious winged forms leaping into the air to meet them. The noises they made were deafening, ringing in everyone's ears as the stone walls seemed to amplify the sound, and it only grew louder the further their small group fell. Kari could almost feel the rage, along with the frenzied movements of these dark beings trying to attack.

Bolts of light shot through several; she glanced over to see TK, aiming with his D3 for more focus at each of the enemies that approached. He seemed to be on the offensive now, rather than trying to shield all of them... or perhaps, he knew like the others that this battle was far from over.

It was just enough. Wargreymon reached the ground first, and he spun as he landed, claws slashing at all in his range. He gave a huge roar as he swept through the mob, his claws clearing Spawn away with each wide swipe.

Weregarurumon landed firmly in the space that Wargreymon had created, his bent legs taking in the impact easily. He kicked at the nearest enemies, shouting up to his partner as he did so.

"You still holding on there Matt?"

"Yeah!"

Even as MagnaAngemon glided down and swerved to stay above the enemies, Angewomon right behind him, Kari was able to catch Matt's eye. Too busy trying not to be thrown off of his partner, the older boy was still gripping tightly to Weregarurumon's fur, though the digivice clenched in his hand told her he too wanted to join in to help as much as he could.

They shared a brief look, remembering that one same moment earlier in this circular room.

Then Wargreymon gave another shout. "Everyone out!"

The digimon dove for the exit, to leave the room and pull their way towards the stairs. Weregarurumon bounded from one open spot to the next, the other three leaping into the air and soaring hastily over the enemies. Kari wordlessly shielded them from the attacks below, as they tried to retreat rather than fight this particular set.

Angewomon had barely cleared the arch when she saw Wargreymon standing on the stairs, a great ball of fiery energy swirling between his claws.

"Clear!"

The three other digimon did, rushing behind Wargreymon. He gave a roar and released it at the ceiling of the exit, spinning in place and jumping into the air without bothering to see the results of the attack.

They flew. Weregarurumon hurled himself from each step his paw touched, and together they continued down, not even turning to look when they heard the great explosion and a hot wind blew past them. The stairs were relatively clear compared with the room and the tunnel earlier; now it was a matter of being vigilant and eliminating any Spawn they came across.

Kari could feel no dark presence directly before them. TK was apparently the same, as he gave a great sight of relief.

"Was it like that all the way up?" he asked, almost hesitantly.

MagnaAngemon chuckled nervously as he flared his wings and came to a stop. "Yes, somewhat."

He winced. "Well, the coast is clear for a little while, so now looks like a good time to break out, I think."

The other digimon had stopped as well, alighting themselves on the stairs for the brief moment of peace they had. Tai glanced downwards, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know how high up we are, but Weregarurumon's definitely going to have to hold onto Wargreymon or even all of us."

Angewomon nodded. "That's fine," she answered. "We'll need a shield for safety though, because then none of us will be able to attack."

Kari did not hear the next part of the conversation, as something suddenly beeped from her pocket.

_That was fast_, she mentally commented. _Maybe all this light is pushing the darkness away faster._

She grabbed it out and opened it to see what messages she must have missed.

To her surprise, there was only one. She guessed that in the midst of battle, no one had had the time to send messages to each other, or if they did it was to specific people based on what was needed at the time.

The one she saw brought a smile to her face.

**We got TK. He's fine and safe with us. – Matt **

It was the email that Matt had sent earlier.

"The others got your message Matt," she called to the others. "And the D-terminals are working again."

"That's great!" Matt shouted back, and she saw him lean to the side so he could grasp Weregarurumon's fur as he pulled out his own D-terminal, apparently to check the messages himself. The moment he opened it though, his face went pale.

"Tai, check your email now," he yelled, turning to him in an urgent manner. "We missed a lot."

"What happened?" Weregarurumon asked him as Tai took in Matt's anxious expression and reached for his pocket.

Matt apparently decided it would be faster to read everything. Still holding on tightly to his partner's fur, he pressed a few buttons with his free hand and spoke.

"Did any of you drop your digivice? I found it. Reply all please. Tai and Matt are exempt. Izzy. I have mine. Joe. I still have mine. Mimi. Sora, did you get my last email? Did you drop your digivice? Izzy. Sora, are you there? Izzy. Guys, I don't see Garudamon anywhere. Mimi."

He trailed off, staring at the screen as he sat frozen. Nearby on Wargreymon, Tai had also gone pale with dread, his eyes still scanning the messages on his D-terminal.

They were all silent for a few moments, with only the sound of the breathing digimon echoing in the stone passage.

"She's okay, right?" TK asked, his voice quiet and fearful. "That's not all the messages, is it?"

"She never replied. Everyone else is freaking out," Tai intoned mutedly.

At that moment, Kari's D-terminal beeped, and she saw the new message appear. She immediately opened it, the words popping out at her as she read.

**This is Izzy to everyone. I have Sora's digivice. She isn't answering emails, and Garudamon is MIA. Reply all on last sight of them.**

She could feel that Angewomon frozen with concern, a reaction apparently shared by the other digimon as they looked back at one another. Tai and Matt, who had received the same message, were already replying; she numbly began typing in her own answer, as she tried to think of what could have happened.

_Maybe they got hit, and she dropped her digivice. Her D-terminal broke. It stopped working? She dropped it too? Garudamon got hurt. They're hiding on the field somewhere. They're okay. They have to be._

The last time she had seen Sora, she and Birdramon had been watching over her as she fought on the field, searching for Gatomon. The digimon had obviously been seen in her Ultimate form, which meant that Kari's note would not be helpful in the attempt to find out what had happened.

Matt seemed torn again, his eyes unfocused and staring forward as he almost robotically typed in a response on his D-terminal. The anxiety he had possessed during their flight to the tower's top had reappeared in full strength, but time it was not for a lost brother, but for someone else he cared greatly for...

The digimon were unreadable, but fidgeting and restless. Now they had even more reason to burst out and escape from the structure they were in, if to at least find their companions and make sure no harm had befallen the pair. TK too had a blank expression on his face, though his hands gripped MagnaAngemon's arms so tightly his knuckles had grown white. If anything, he seemed scared to think or even believe that anything horrible could have happened, and his lack of a D-terminal to read the emails or even reply back was only adding a sense of helplessness to his state.

Only Tai seemed to keep his head completely, as he typed as quickly as he could into his D-terminal. He bit his lip slightly as continued, glancing at the others briefly. "Sent a reply," he spoke curtly. "I'm also asking Izzy to meet with us at Point A. Once we get out of the tower, we'll head into the forest and use it for cover, until we get there."

Kari glanced at her brother, inwardly admiring him for managing to stay collected in this situation. "If we need to rest and regroup, shouldn't we just fly?" she asked.

Tai shook his head. "No. Too many forces outside, and we're visible in the air, they could follow us. We'll get to ground level and lose them in the trees."

The digimon all nodded in unison. "Got it."

Having not been with them in the earlier battle, TK only vaguely remembered that Tai had mentioned earlier the tower being located in the middle of a crater-like field surrounded by a forest. But that only echoed in his mind as the other, more significant piece of news continued to blaze in the forefront of his thoughts.

_Sora and Garudamon are missing. This is all my fault, if I hadn't let myself get taken into the Dark Ocean, or gotten captured, then they wouldn't have entered this battle and gotten into this mess. This was the last thing I wanted to happen... they have to be okay..._

He mentally hit himself in an attempt to refocus.

_They will be. Right now we have to focus on getting out of here. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure we all make it out safely._

They all knew they needed to escape from the tower. TK watched as Wargreymon spoke in low words to Tai, and the older boy nodded in reply, as though prepared for something.

"Stand back everyone, we're getting out," he rumbled. "I'll try to control it so as not to harm you."

The other digimon took several steps away, turning away from Wargreymon so as to protect their human partners from the ensuing blast. The Mega faced the outer curved wall of the staircase, his eyes narrowed in determination as the one likely strong enough to break through the tower completely. With a roar, he raised up his arms to form his attack, as Tai held on, shielding his face from the scorching heat that came with it –

TK felt it the same moment that Kari did.

"Spawn, from below, outside!" he shouted, just as Kari yelled something about the entranceway to the circular room.

"Go!" Tai screamed.

Wargreymon released, and immediately spun around to cover Tai with both claws and body.

The attack hit the wall and exploded on impact.

TK heard a horrified shout just as he sensed the dark beings all around them, swarming from the room above. The ones on the stairs below were nearby, flying up to meet them; then he heard Wargreymon's angered yell as he felt the Spawn close in from the outside.

He focused light to curve and strike at all the darkness he felt – here, he knew that there were no sympathetic dark digimon of the benign sort to watch for, only the creatures of Dragomon's will trying to kill them. Though he could not see Wargreymon or Tai, he could tell from their cries that something had not gone right; then he realized that with too much destructive ability and such closed quarters, there was no way that the digimon could fight back at his full potential without hurting one of them.

MagnaAngemon was holding onto him with only one arm now, fighting off the Spawn with his sword now. TK caught flashes as the angel digimon's efforts moved them back and forth – Wargreymon sweeping away Spawn easily but nearly hitting MagnaAngemon, Angewomon holding on dearly to her partner while Kari shot at the dark beings, her light beginning to flicker more weakly, Weregarurumon kicking away at a transformed being wielding a spear, then clawing another while trying to protect Matt and not accidentally throw him off.

He saw the wall, and the many layers that had been melted and stripped away, the debris and wreckage scattered all around it, but he also saw the hole, which was too small for any of the digimon to fit through.

_What kind of tower is this? I know Wargreymon was trying not to hurt us accidentally, but this is ridiculous!_

The Spawn were pulling themselves in through the hole from outside, and TK sent blasts at them with his D3 in an effort to keep them from joining in the battle, but it was difficult to aim, and even when he tried to focus on individuals to make his light home in on them, MagnaAngemon's erratic movements in the battle only hindered his attempts.

There was so much black around them, the stone, the Spawn, even the hole in the wall itself, with enemies pushing through so fervently that they blocked out the light from outside. But those flashes were enough to give him hope again, as he began reaching deeper and deeper into himself to try and aid the others in this mad battle.

Then he heard Matt's voice.

"Let us through, dammit!" he was practically screaming. "Let us out! We don't have time to deal with you! We have to help everyone - "

Something was glowing, a whirring sound that was familiar to TK's ears. He realized that too many of them had been hurt, or gone missing, and it had gradually taken its toll on his brother. Matt had always valued his friendship with the others, and with this battle and the people he cared about...

TK suddenly knew what was about to happen.

Weregarurumon leaped forward, and then light suddenly exploded from something on Matt's belt –

"Weregarurumon digivolve to... Metalgarurumon!"

Both boy and partner looked absolutely shocked, even as Metalgarurumon struck out at the Spawn approaching them with a paw and destroyed them instantly.

"I didn't even warp digivolve..." the digimon said in awe, lifting up his metal paws and gazing at them intently. Atop him, Matt gaped in amazement.

A moment later, they both recovered.

"Give it all you've got!" Matt shouted triumphantly.

Metalgarurumon could withstand all the attacks being thrown at him easily; now he seemed focused on keeping his partner safe as he leaped up above the crowd of dark beings. As his beam wings lifted him into the air, he aimed his snout down, lasers firing precisely at those that were most threatening.

The digievolution spurred on a new wave of determination in everyone. TK found his light sweeping across the area, destroying what Spawn it came across; Matt and Tai were both using their digivices to combat them as well, Tai even swinging his sword at one that came too close in the air. He wordlessly formed a shield around Angewomon when he realized that Kari looked completely exhausted; she nodded a grateful thanks to him as one of the attackers, waving what looked like a mace, bounced away and directly into one of Wargreymon's swipes.

"Let's get out of here!" Matt yelled as his partner reared up.

They needed to. They had to escape from the tower, get to wherever Point A was, meet with Izzy, find Sora, find everyone, make sure everyone was all right, close the doorway to the Dark Ocean... TK felt overwhelmed when he remembered just how much had been at stake, what they still had to do, and the reason why they had even come to this place.

Metalgarurumon was still in the air, the dark beings helpless to stop him. "TK, shield!" he commanded just as a plate opened up on his chest; Wargreymon flew up next to him, his claws already up to condense the energy into his attack.

TK put his light shield up over both Angewomon and MagnaAngemon. He could hear the Spawn shrieking, the ones still trying to make their way inside suddenly stopping as they saw the light before them, the ones in the hall threw themselves, transformed and merged, at the digimon an futile attempts to stop them.

"Giga Missile!"

"Terra Force!"

There was an explosion, and the humans all had to hold tightly onto their partners to keep from being blown off. TK was momentarily blinded by the light that flooded the dark rooms, filling the area with contrasts between the brightness and shadows, as the outside breeze rushed in, the scent of metal and blood mixed with the cold air...

"Go!" he heard Tai scream.

They launched forward towards the hole. TK gripped onto MagnaAngemon's arms, feeling everything lurch from beneath as they surged into the air. He could feel the wind rushing through his hair, drying away the last of the ocean water from his body and leaving nothing but the remainder of the salt and iron on him. Considering the odd humidity of the atmosphere in the Dark Ocean, filled with the taint of the corruption woven through everything there, he welcomed the feeling of the air in the Digiworld, so cool and pure in comparison. He could see the dark green of a forest in the distance, but still warm with lush color as something native to a realm of light.

Then he caught sight of the battle outside.

To him, it looked like a sea of black. He could sense the darkness everywhere – not the pure, benign kind that he had felt from Jigomon, but the corrupted variety that fueled the Dark Ocean and the Spawn, the instrument of Dragomon's work. The Spawn were there, fighting around the tower grounds; the guttural sounds they made echoed like one great, haunting moan of the sea.

The moment the digimon leaped into the air and away from the tower, a roaring scream of rage rung out from every dark being below. It was at that moment that TK knew exactly what the reason was – through Dragomon's control of his type of darkness, the Spawn all knew of his survival as well as his and Kari's escape from the other realm. They were furious that for once, everything had been proceeding according to the plans of their lord, but at the last moment it was foiled, and now the one whose power they were supposed to have in their grasp was right above them, alive with his abilities awoken.

Those in the air as transformed versions of themselves dove at the group immediately.

Two shields sprung into existence, surrounding all eight of them in separate layers of light, strong despite the exhaustion of their creators. Kari's, pink in color, was the outermost one, focused as it repelled any attack that flew at them, any Spawn that tried to break through the barrier. Those that did penetrate her shield were destroyed by TK's, still raging wildly with power.

As they all soared through the air, descending towards the ground, towards the ongoing battle, TK thought he saw other figures dancing around their enemies, lacking the darkness of the otherworldly beings, fighting to keep their partners and themselves safe. He caught sight of Zudomon, raising his great head to gaze at them in awe, and even Paildramon looked up as he spun in a whirlwind, striking all enemies in range with his claws. He tried to see if any of the humans were there, hoping with all his might that by seeing them, it would confirm that they had not been harmed by the battle.

He saw one. A tiny figure that was unmistakably Joe stood on Zudomon's back, jumping up into the air cheering, shouting something that they could not hear from so far away. TK smiled, knowing at least one person who was all right.

The shields had lit up the sky. Something exploded on the outer layer, the resulting heat and wind blowing through the second and briefly washing over all of them, a distinctly different sense than the air that brushed past them as they went forward.

They were still gliding, down, downwards in a smooth line that no attacks would stop. TK strained to keep his shield around them, knowing that atop Angewomon Kari was doing the same. He could see individual Spawn now, but their charges of rage stopped short as the digimon approached, heading towards them to land on the ground.

Tai was the one who looked around wildly and then shouted to all of them.

"Go through the forest!" he yelled, the wind still blowing his bushy brown hair in all directions.

His voice miraculously carried through the air. All four digimon nodded in recognition, still gliding downwards, and Wargreymon reeled backwards as they went, preparing an attack to clear the area.

Then, as they saw Spawn merge on the ground and prepare to intercept them, the digimon roared and threw the great ball of fiery energy downwards.

"Terra Force!"

It exploded into the earth, upturning the land and destroying all Spawn in its immediate path. The fire it created only spread, filling that corner of the battlefield with a light formed by heat and reactive energy.

It was Metalgarurumon who tempered it with an alternate, but equally destructive force.

"Grace Cross Freezer!"

Smaller explosions rained down, ice shooting up in jagged formations as it froze everything it touched. Where there had been fire, the ice burst into vapor, but this only gave them pathways to traverse while the Spawn shrieked all around them.

They had reached the ground now, but all four digimon still remained above it, gliding hurriedly across this new ice field. Their way was clear, but the mob behind them still loomed, moaning and shrieking as they flew and clambered as close as they dared. TK did not need his senses to know of the cloud of dark beings they formed, and still in MagnaAngemon's arms, he winced at the sounds they made, thinking back to the chases in the Dark Ocean.

In almost a last attempt to definitively push the forces away, he gripped his D3 and focused within once again.

Light came out as a striking barrier, wildly surging backwards from them towards the Spawn that followed. He heard the loud cries, the fall of winged bodies in the air, the shifts of light burning into the dark and causing the beings to wither away, but he kept his face forward, gazing at the oncoming trees and the peace the forest might bring.

And then, almost abruptly, they made it there.

The solace was stunning, compared to everything earlier. TK was struck by the greens that surrounded them, in comparison to the dull grays and blacks of the Dark Ocean; this place was colorful, alive, and completely devoid of the corrupted darkness that he had felt so strongly. In fact, it was the first time since the nightmares began that he felt free of everything that had been placed upon him.

He took in the cool morning air that lacked the humidity and the scent of salt and iron prevalent in the other world, the clearness of everything before him instead of the mist, the sun shining through the forest canopy leaving beams that practically glowed and lit up the shaded undergrowth.

It was something he never realized he had missed so much until this moment.

"We made it," he breathed.

_But it's not over._

They were still moving. He could feel wind against his face again, cooling off the sweat and blowing away some of the dust of the earlier fighting.

Tai was saying something. "We're not safe yet. Everything on the field saw us get here, they know where we are, we need to lose them completely and get to Point A to meet with Izzy."

All four digimon nodded. "Got it," Wargreymon answered.

They flew through the forest, artfully weaving between trees and taking advantage of the foliage to cover their trail. The digimon took extra effort to fly quietly, barely flapping their wings and attempting to stay away from the open space, unable to sneak effectively with their size. Even so, TK could no longer sense the dark presences near them, but felt instead the looming strength of the tower, barely visible over the canopy.

It was more and more like the Dark Ocean, from the color of the area to the nearly tangible darkness he still sensed flowing through the structure.

Regardless of it, there were some things he knew.

_Dragomon will know about what we've done here. He and Daemon could come through the portal here at any moment, if they haven't already. If we can't close it..._

_And is everyone else all right?_

They flew on.


	18. Dust

A/N: I split the chapter again - it was just so long, and I realized that pacing-wise, it might be better to have this segment separate from the next part. Needless to say though, this chapter is much more like part one of two of the climax... kind of.

The next chapter should be up soon, I promise. It's pretty close to done.

* * *

_**Dust**_

Point A, something that Tai had explained to him about earlier in the tower, was about as TK expected, from the fallen purple tree to the slightly trampled grass that surrounded it. It was sound evidence that the others had been there earlier, and somehow it heartened him to see it, entering this place and knowing that eleven humans and twelve digimon had stood there not long before.

It had not taken long for them to reach it. It was just enough for him to breathe and take in the familiarity of a place in the Digiworld where the corrupted darkness had not reached.

As the four digimon landed and he heard Kari assure them that no Spawn were following, TK hopped down from MagnaAngemon's arms and promptly allowed himself to collapse to the ground.

"You okay TK?" Matt's concerned voice asked.

TK closed his eyes, feeling the grass and the earth against his skin. It was cool and slightly damp, soft as his body sank in slightly; the sunlight warmed his back, the morning air brushing gently across him. He took it in, all the small details, even to the scent of the earth, the sound of his own breathing and the pulse of his heart.

"Yeah," he replied a moment later, as he pulled himself into a sitting position and looked up at everyone with a smile. "I'm good. Better, actually."

Matt seemed to understand. He vaulted off of Metalgarurumon in a practiced motion and took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he stretched his arms out to the side. "It feels great, not being in the tower anymore," he breathed. "I'm glad we made it."

Tai jumped off of Wargreymon, and Kari followed suit. "Yeah, we did," he said with a relieved sigh as he planted his sword into the ground. "Now we have to wait for Izzy to get here..."

His voice trailed off as he gazed at TK and Kari, his eyes widening.

Now in the clearing, where the dim morning sunlight shone down on them as opposed to the glowing smeared runes of the tower interior, it was easier to make out everyone's faces and expressions. TK winced as he saw that the blood he had noted on Matt and Tai's clothes was still bright scarlet, a sign of how recently they had been injured.

It also meant they could see the differences in color much more clearly, and both of the older brothers were staring at them in shock. TK glanced down at himself and Kari, noting that there was a red tint to their clothing, diluted but present.

"What the hell happened over there...?" Tai's voice was low and filled with horror.

Instinctively, TK grabbed one of his wrists as his mind returned briefly to the ocean. The skin was tender and still stung a little, and he thought of Dragomon's corrupted darkness, the metal cuffs, the rising waves, the chanting beings, his life fading...

Kari spoke for him. "The water," she answered, glancing at TK worriedly. "We were in water... and..."

Matt turned directly to TK, and for a moment, he felt like his brother's gaze were oddly piercing and perceptive, reading his reaction and looking into him. Then the older boy's eyes widened in horrified realization, and his face darkened in barely repressed anger.

"You're okay now?" he asked quietly. "Kari healed you, right?"

TK nodded.

Matt clenched his hand into a fist. "They will pay. They are going to pay for what they did to you."

He felt an odd kinship with his brother at those words, something that echoed his own sentiments after everything that had happened to him, but it was still a little bit unnerving to see Matt react in such a manner.

Tai looked somewhat confused, having apparently missed what Matt had realized, but he still set his jaw as he gazed over at them again. "TK, when this is all over... I want to know what you went through in the Dark Ocean," he said solemnly.

TK looked downwards. Going over everything that had occurred during his time in the other realm was not something he wanted to do – if anything, they were fresh memories he wished he could forget. But for the sake of the others, who had to know of Daemon and Dragomon, and considering what Jigomon had done...

"I know it'll be hard," Tai continued, his eyes sad as he apparently understood what was going on through TK's mind. "But we need to know. And you'll have to confront those memories one day anyway."

"Yeah," TK murmured, not meeting the older boy's gaze. "Let's wait until after we get through this though."

Tai nodded. "Yeah. With everyone. Better so you don't have to tell it more than once."

He appreciated the gesture. If anything, at least it gave him a little time to distance himself from it and focus on the importance of the ongoing battle.

The digimon all stood together, fidgeting nervously as they each gazed up over the trees in the direction of the tower. The view of the field, with all of their teammates still fighting, seemed to have given them an urge to join them, but now they had a new objective given the earlier news.

Tai sighed and sat himself next his sword. "I hate waiting," he growled.

"Don't we all," Matt replied as he plopped down beside him, brows furrowed. The anger from earlier had diminished, but not by much; there was faint blue glimmer in his eyes, and he looked tense, a fist clenched and punched into the ground. TK knew that mixed within had to be the great concern for everyone else's well being,

Out of anxiety, he unclipped his D3 and gazed at the screen. The dots in the center blinked brightly back at him, the sign that all four humans were present. He saw nothing else though – no other light, or flashing point to show that Izzy would soon arrive. And as he had Sora's digivice in his possession, there should be two dots, not one.

TK wanted to know what had happened. Tai's brief explanation of events had not been enough; he felt a need to hear details and understand everything he had put their team through. A glance at Matt and Tai, seeing the remnants of their injuries splattered all over their clothes, despite the two of them having been healed by Kari... it made him feel slightly sick. After all the fighting, the battles and conflicts from all their time in the Digiworld, he had never wanted to see anyone hurt for his sake. But it was more than obvious that everyone had. He was grateful for everything – being alive and able to breathe the cool, crisp air was enough to make him recognize how despaired he had been in the Dark Ocean – yet dreaded the thought that the cost of his life might be exchanged for someone else's.

He sighed and clipped his D3 back to his belt, brows furrowing as he stared at the ground, ignoring a concerned look from MagnaAngemon. Remembering back to the other realm, he realized that the corrupted darkness had been following him for weeks, which was the reason why his D-terminal had stopped working... but here in the clearing, he could not sense any of the otherworldly power clinging to them like it had to him. There were a few traces, the last chilled wisps struggling to survive around beings of light, but he could tell these would soon vanish away. If anything, he would be disadvantaged for being unable to communicate with the others.

He stopped briefly, remembering the last few weeks. How much of the corrupted darkness had managed to seep through the woven fibers of the worlds? How permeable was the barrier between the Digiworld and the Dark Ocean? Dragomon could use the power of his realm to haunt a child in the human world, then pull that child across space into his domain, but could not move beyond it... so what did the corrupted darkness streaming from the tower mean?

_Dragomon hasn't come through, I would be able to tell if he did... the Spawn could... so then what about Daemon? We had to actually seal him in the Dark Ocean originally, which means that if the pathway between worlds is open, he can definitely pass through - _

"Daemon chose not to follow us," TK suddenly spoke, the realization creeping through him.

The others, lost in their own thoughts, turned to him abruptly. The two angel digimon in particular gazed sharply, apparently remembering the fight against Daemon earlier, while the others looked in concern, knowing of the demonic being's presence, but unaware of the things that had happened in the other realm.

Kari crouched low next to him. "What do you mean?"

"We were in the tower long enough for him to get through the doorway while we were still there," he continued, staring as horror came over him. He turned toward his partner, who gazed back at him somberly. "No digimon or Spawn came through the warp, right?"

MagnaAngemon nodded, frowning. "That's correct."

TK pulled himself to his feet, clenching his fists as he remembered everything Jigomon had told him in those early hours before dawn.

"Something big is going to happen," he stated, feeling his body shake in a union of apprehension and anger. "I don't know what, though I bet it's got something to do with Dragomon and invading the Digiworld..."

Kari watched him, his face in a troubled expression. None of the others stirred or commented, and she expected them not to; they all knew of the corrupted darkness filtering into their world through the tower, and that somehow they had to close the pathway between realms. That and overseeing the safety of everyone were their primary goals.

The digimon around her shifted restlessly, their desire to return to the battlefield evident. She glanced around at everything, the atmosphere tense despite the lack of actual combat. It was a horrible feeling, waiting for news while unable to act, and with the knowledge of the conflict, none of them could relax.

Time passed. Tai stood and took to systematically kicking a tree, while Matt stayed on the ground, pale and still, staring at nothing with unfocused eyes, breathing deeply in what looked like an attempt not to explode in an emotional burst. Metalgarurumon padded up to him and gently nudged his shoulder with his snout, which Matt quietly took and held.

The other digimon acted as restlessly as they had seemed. Wargreymon paced in a small circle, anxious to act but unable to quite yet. He swung out with a claw every now and then, as though still getting re-accustomed to his size and fighting capabilities as a Mega, testing out small motions and itching to fight. MagnaAngemon and Angewomon spoke in low tones to each other, and Kari was sure they were discussing tactics of some sort. She guessed they would share when Izzy and MegaKabuterimon arrived.

She and TK stood where they were, though TK had unclipped his D3 and gazing at the screen, biting his lip as he watched it for any sign that Izzy would soon arrive. She wanted to grab his hand and tell him that everything would be all right, but she herself felt unsure as to whether that would actually be the case or not. Scenarios of all the worst things played in her head, and she shook herself to try and keep them away, denying that they might possible. The Digiworld would not be covered in Dragomon's darkness. She would not be taken by Dragomon. TK would not be used again. Sora and Garudamon would reappear in perfect health, certainly able to fight, definitely not dead...

"Someone's coming," TK reported, sounding relieved.

"Finally!" Tai stopped kicking the tree and brought his own digivice into view to gaze at it. "Izzy with Sora's digivice," he noted, brows furrowing. "And one more person..."

Matt jumped to his feet, while Kari pulled out her D3 to check the screen. She saw quite clearly the grouping of four dots close to each other, and three more approaching from the side as though running across terrain, stopping and slowing and occasionally changing directions

There was anticipation, in the knowledge that they would soon know what had passed during their time in the tower, of battles and Sora's disappearance. It would also be the first actual human contact they had had outside of their group of four. Kari glanced over at TK, knowing that he likely was still unadjusted to the truth of reality after everything that had happened; she had been the same way for a short time after her own stint in the Dark Ocean. As the dots grew closer, she heard footsteps and urgent voices as two distinct figures became visible.

Izzy and Joe burst through the undergrowth, panting and covered in grime, but present all the same.

The moment their eyes locked onto TK, they charged at him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

"I'm so glad you're all right!"

"I can't believe it, you're okay, you're here, this is great - "

"G-guys, I - can't breathe," TK squeaked out.

Kari could tell that Izzy was laughing a little at everything, even as he and Joe loosened their grips and stepped back. Somehow, any bit of something positive was uplifting considering everything going on, and tangible proof of it was standing right before them.

Joe was already examining TK, his eyes scanning the younger boy and resting lightly on every trace of damage.

"Are you okay? Were you injured? Does anything hurt? How do you feel? Tell me what happened!"

TK looked slightly taken aback for a moment, but smiled as Joe suddenly heaved and took a few calming breaths. Kari watched and saw that, like Matt and Tai had been when they saw first TK's condition, he was horrified, even moreso than Izzy, who looked worried by what he saw.

"I'm okay, really," TK tried to calm the older boy. "Kari's light healed me, I'm fine now."

Joe frowned. "'Now' being the key word. That's not very reassuring - "

"Wait, Kari," Izzy interjected, his eyes widening as he gazed at her. "Healing? Your light healed TK?"

She nodded with a small smile, watching as both boys began gaping.

"That's... the power of your crest..." he muttered, shaking his head in astonishment.

Tai chuckled a little. "Yup. Now's as good a time as any for that to appear, huh? So basically, we're all way better than we actually look, and we all look like complete crap."

Kari was aware that Joe was gazing at all of them now, his eyes washing over each person and taking in all of their appearances at once. Then he looked down at himself, his mouth pulling to one side in displeasure at his own clothes and light injuries.

"Guess so," he commented. "We'll have a ball explaining this to our parents when we get home."

"Yeah, really," Matt shook his head. "They already flip out enough about us being so involved in fighting all the time, and this isn't going to help."

Kari felt the corners of her mouth turn upwards despite everything. Somehow, it was comforting to hear even just the mention of their parents, safe in another world where their lives were normal and peaceful...

Joe finally stepped away from TK after a reassuring pat on the back. He let out a sigh of relief, just as Wargreymon tilted his head towards him.

"I don't see Megakabuterimon or Zudomon here. Where are they?"

Izzy gestured back towards where the tower was barely visible in the distance. "Fighting. They're both too big to get through the trees without significant damage, not to mention a trail, so they dropped us off to the north. We already set up a place to meet up when we return."

MagnaAngemon nodded. "I see. Are they faring well?"

"Yeah. Aside from scrapes and bruises and such, there've been fairly few injuries." Then he glanced over at Tai, and the large sword still planted in the ground. "What's with the sword?"

Tai gave him a troubled smile. "Picked it up in the tower, it was useful. Anyway, Izzy, we got the emails about Sora. What's going on?"

Izzy glanced at everyone, his face dropping into an expression of apprehension. His mouth moved for a brief moment, as though attempting to try and logically explain what he was about to say, but there was too much for him to say. Finally, he reached into his pocket, pulling something out and holding it for all to see.

Kari's heart froze when she saw the digivice in his hand, battered and scorched black.

"I found it over on the southwest side, maybe four hundred meters from the forest," Izzy was saying, though his words barely registered in her mind. "I noticed that the signal on my digivice wasn't moving, so I had Megakabuterimon let me off so I could check it out... I didn't see anyone, or any other digimon in the area, and then a group of Spawn came to attack, so I had to retreat, then I started sending those emails, and we know it's Sora's, and no one's been able to find her or Garudamon, and..."

He was rambling now, his concern pouring out, but what he said only solidified everything, making it real.

_That's Sora's digivice... it's really hers... and it looks damaged, like something exploded, or caught on fire, but no, it couldn't have... this can't be..._

The digimon were silent, too stunned to say anything. Tai stood frozen, gazing at Izzy with an expression of denial, unwillingness to accept what he saw. Beside him, Matt let out a anguished moan and slid to the ground, both of his hands groping blindly into the soil while his breathing quickened as though he was trying not to scream in rage.

"This isn't happening," Joe stared in horror.

Kari realized that Izzy had not shown the digivice to Joe earlier, and knew why. She suddenly wished she had TK's optimism, something she knew even he was having trouble keeping. She recalled his vehement outburst at hearing of Tai's 'death', how he refused to believe it... but here, they had actual evidence, something concrete and real, Sora's digivice gripped in Izzy's hand.

No one else said anything. Izzy himself seemed at a loss for words, gazing down at the digivice somberly as his arm holding it shook.

TK suddenly turned and hit one of the trees, his head hanging and his eyes closed. "This is all because of me..." he spoke, guilt and sorrow interlaced in his voice.

Kari shook her head and he ran up to him. "No it's not," she stated, gently touching her hand to the back of his. "None of this is your fault, blame Daemon and Dragomon. They're the ones behind all of this."

"I never wanted anyone to get hurt, especially if it was because I was in trouble," TK spun to face her, almost snapping back in his grief. "And all of this, it's..."

He trailed off, turning away again to face away from them.

She thought back, suddenly recalling a conversation that seemed so long ago now, as they spoke to each other through a mirror despite being in different worlds. Their words, TK's fears, and the fact they knew so little about what was to come...

"Remember back when we talked, through the Crystal Wall?" she whispered, gripping his hand. "We care about you, and we all chose to do this because we wanted you back. And now here you are. Don't think that you're not worth it, because you are."

Then to everyone's surprise, Izzy stepped forward to address him sternly. "Kari's right. Besides, your capture was more of a catalyst than anything else," he spoke, though his voice shook slightly. "This conflict and everything with the power of the Dark Ocean streaming into the Digiworld probably would have occurred at some point anyway, whether or not you were in their custody. So don't blame yourself, okay?"

TK was silent. For moment he was still, refusing to look at any of them while he stared away at the ground. Kari let her hand open to gently grasp his, but he did not return the gesture, his fingers limp.

With a long despaired breath, he nudged his hand free of Kari's and collapsed against the tree.

"... yeah..." he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

For a moment, no one else spoke.

"So what do we do now...?" Angewomon asked hesitantly.

"We go look for her."

Matt gazed up at all of them, his eyes blazing.

"We look for her, find any sign of her or Garudamon, anything. Make sure they're okay. Make sure everyone's okay. And I know," he added as Tai started. "We're still fighting a battle. But we're a team too, and I say that right now making sure everyone is alive and well should be our top priority."

He glanced around the clearing as though daring anyone to say otherwise.

"I wasn't going to order us straight back into the battle," Tai said softly, his voice cracking a little. "I want to go find them too."

Kari knew everyone agreed with Matt, and all of them were scared for the possibility that someone in their team, the one they had travelled and fought as part of in the Digiworld over three years earlier, could be gone. She herself did not want to think of it, but given the battle and everything that had happened, it was difficult not to.

Matt collapsed again, his body tense as he gave out a long shuddering breath. His mind seemed far away from the peaceful forest clearing he sat in, his gaze unfocused and unseeing.

His voice sounded quiet and hesitant, almost afraid to ask. "Do we know... what happens when a human dies in the Digiworld?"

Kari felt a pang of anguish go through her as she thought about it. They had no idea. She knew through Wizardmon what happened to digimon in the human world, but with humans in the Digiworld...

"If it's like with Oikawa," TK's gaze was leveled at the ground. "Then there won't be anything left."

Everyone was silent, unable to say anything as they gazed at the blackened digivice that Izzy still held out.

Then TK suddenly spoke up again, seeming determined. "I'm gonna' try to stay positive. Sora and Biyomon may not be dead," he stated assertively. "They could have gotten caught in an attack and the digivice got dropped. This doesn't mean they're not in trouble, but there's got to be some way to talk to them or at least check."

Kari had to smile. This was the TK she knew, and even if optimism was not always realistic, it still gave them the hope that perhaps, everything might still be salvageable with a good outcome.

Tai released a long breath. "You're right," he said, standing up straight and looking at everyone. "We can't let this stop us from either finishing this battle or getting everyone to safety."

"Yeah."

Matt stood, his eyes alight with resolve. "If there's a chance Sora's alive, I'll take it," he replied.

"All right then," Tai's gaze met Matt's in a moment of understanding. "We're all gonna' head out to look for her."

"No."

Tai froze at Wargreymon's sudden interjection, and he turned to stare up at his partner. "What? Why not?"

The digimon shook his head wearily. "You may have been healed, but after all the combat within the tower, how much further are you able to go?"

Tai scowled at his partner. "Does it matter? It's not like we're so tired that we can't fight right now."

Wargreymon only gazed back firmly. "That's not the point. You've been fighting. You lost blood. You're exhausted, all of us are. And we're still in the middle of a battle. And I don't mean to be rude, but none of you are conditioned as actual combatants." He paused slightly as Tai's face fell into an angry grimace. "In your state, I don't think it's the best idea to go back out. You don't have the same stamina that digimon do."

All of the humans looked at each other. Tai looked frustrated, and rightfully so; they were used to being alongside their digimon partners, able to give them support, but at the same time they typically never fought their enemies directly, and when they did it acted more as a distraction than anything else. Being told to stay behind was something that no one wanted to hear.

Tai turned towards the other digimon. "Do you guys feel the same way?"

Metalgarurumon nodded, glancing over at Matt sorrowfully. "I'm sorry Matt," he spoke softly, as the boy gazed back in a hurt manner. "But given everything, after all the fighting in the tower and with how we've been faring on the field, I just... need to know that you're safe. I'm worried that I may fail in protecting you."

Matt gave a small, feeble smile that barely hid the despair behind it. "I understand. We're connected, after all."

They needed no more words, as Metalgarurumon trotted up to him, nudging his chest with his snout. Matt hugged back desperately, whispering something that Kari could not hear.

MagnaAngemon and Angewomon both glanced at their partners, then looked at each other.

"To be completely honest," MagnaAngemon began, frowning, "I feel quite comfortable having him on the battlefield."

Everyone else except for Angewomon stared at him.

"... those weren't the words I expected to hear out of you," Izzy replied, dumbstruck.

"Well, I just said them," the digimon replied, sounding very much like himself as Patamon. He turned to his other angelic counterpart beside him before letting anyone else have a chance to speak. "Angewomon, what about you?"

"I agree with you, but I think Kari should stay here," she replied, stepping forward as her helmeted gaze washed over everyone. "Her healing abilities are possibly the only thing that could keep everyone alive, given how this battle has gone. I know that TK would not be here otherwise." She glanced pointedly at him, ignoring a few gasps from those who had not been in the Dark Ocean. "Possibly Matt as well. We should treat this point like we did earlier, with Kari acting to heal those who need medical attention."

Joe suddenly grabbed Izzy by the shoulders. "If that's the case, then here. Izzy, sit," he ordered, pushing the younger boy to Kari and then forcing him to sit on the ground.

Kari had to giggle a bit despite the concern when Izzy pouted and rolled his eyes at Joe. "Seriously, you're overreacting."

She gently placed her hands on his back, letting her light pour out as a pink glow. She caught TK gazing at them with relief, though he turned towards Matt and mouthed what she guessed was his question as to what had happened to Izzy that warranted healing.

Izzy let out a long sigh, rubbing at his back. "Wow... you really are healing me. Thanks Kari."

She smiled. "No problem."

Stepping back, she watched as Joe gazed at her in awe, his eyes darting from her, to Izzy, and then back to her again. He spoke nothing, but even she could tell he was extremely happy from this new development. Izzy on the other hand stood, moving his arms and stretching a little, making a satisfied sound as he patted his shoulders.

Tai tilted his head and glanced at Angewomon. "I see what you mean. All right then... battle plans. You doing okay Izzy?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah."

Tai smiled, his demeanor quickly becoming stern as he shifted into an authoritative position, one that came from all his time acting as leader. Kari had to admire the confidence he exuded, but the seriousness that came with it... that and the fact she could see how worried he was, combined with his exhaustion and the acceptance that came with the role he would have to play for the remainder of the battle.

"Good. Since me and Matt shouldn't be going back to the field, I want Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon to go back and focus on combat. You guys are our powerhouses here," he spoke directly to the two Megas, "So we're counting on you. Send messages back through Izzy on the situation."

They gave him affirmative grunts, and Wargreymon gazed at him in gratitude for understanding their sentiments.

Tai walked over to his partner and gently hit his armor. "I know. It's okay. Just do some good fighting out there." He nodded over to Metalgarurumon as well.

Then he looked at the others.

"Izzy, I want you to head back out with MegaKabuterimon and look for Sora or any of Garudamon's forms. Keep her digivice with you," he commanded. "Since you've got a flying partner, do sweeps and watch out for everyone else too. Help with transporting if you need to. Have MegaKabuterimon de-digivolve back down to Kabuterimon to get through the woods safely. Also, I'm gonna' email everyone and see if I get a response from them, so that way, we'll know how they're doing and what to do from there. Watch your D-terminal."

"All right Tai," Izzy replied with a determined look. "You can rely on me."

He turned to Joe next. The older boy gazed back, ready.

"Joe, you're going to focus on checking with anyone else who's gotten injured, like Ken. Zudomon's good defensively, so if someone's hurt, take them with you. Get them here, to Point A – you and Izzy should coordinate so he can ferry people, 'cause neither Zudomon, or Ikkakumon's gonna' be able to move well in the forest. Make sure you can get a diagnostic on anyone who's hurt and email it to Kari. Check your D-terminal too."

"Got it."

Tai sighed and gazed at Kari. "You probably already guessed, but you're staying here and acting as medic." He glanced over at TK and the two angel digimon as well. "MagnaAngemon, Angewomon, you're going back onto the field to fight. But like with Izzy and MegaKabuterimon, look for Sora and Garudamon. Back everyone up when you can, and help keep that darkness from the tower under control. Keep in contact with Izzy and Joe. TK, you're staying here with us as defense."

Everyone nodded in understanding. Angewomon glanced at the two boys who would be returning to the field to meet with their partners. "You two. I'll give you a ride back to Zudomon and MegaKabuterimon. Tell us when you're ready."

Izzy stretched his arms out again, glancing back with a small smile. Then his expression changed, serious with the understanding of what was at stake - the tower, the others, Sora. "Tell me what's going on with the darkness and the tower. Then I'll be ready."

Tai nodded, stepping forward to do so. He beckoned to Matt, who followed unsurely; Kari could tell that they were still greatly worried, and it was only due to having fought earlier while TK had been in danger that they were able to stay anywhere close to calm. He also motioned for the digimon to come and help, apparently for their input on how best to deal with everything.

Joe on the other hand, quickly ran towards the fallen tree, where he reached behind the trunk and pulled out what Kari realized was his bag. He opened it quickly, fished around in it for a few moments, then stood and strode directly up to her.

He brusquely handed her an energy bar. "Eat. Now."

She took it gratefully, knowing that if they were supposed to be treating her similarly to a digimon in terms of food, that she needed this badly. "Thanks Joe," she said as another thought crossed her mind. "Do you have more?"

He nodded. "Yes, fortunately."

"Give one to TK too."

Joe's eyes widened, and for a brief moment, joyous shock covered his face. "Wait... you mean... light power... TK can too?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Started up not too long ago."

He turned and stared at the younger boy, who smiled back a little abashedly.

"I... don't know how to react to anything anymore," Joe shook his head, as he dug his hand into his bag. The wide grin on his face spoke more. "The Digiworld has desensitized me to so many things. TK, you are awesome. Kari is too. And if we all live through this, everyone will be."

He brought out the bar and proffered it to TK, who took it as well.

"We're going to live through this, we can make it," TK answered firmly as he tore open the wrapper. Then his face suddenly lit up, a delayed response to the item that sat in his hands. "Food!"

Kari almost wanted to laugh as she saw him devour the energy bar in seconds, but remembered that he had been in the Dark Ocean since the previous afternoon. It was unlikely he had been able to find anything edible while trying to hide from the Spawn, and she doubted that Daemon or Dragomon would have been kind enough to feed him if they had been planning to kill him.

She quickly opened her own and began eating, relishing the feeling of her energy replenishing with each bite. It was when she was halfway done that she realized just how fatigued she had been earlier, and how much she had been pushing herself; she finished quickly, knowing that if she was to fulfill her role as healer for the remainder of the battle, she needed all the strength she had.

"I can take the wrappers for you," she heard Joe mention, and wordlessly she handed it over. Then she suddenly remembered the one from before and took it out of her pocket, wincing as she realized it was damp from the waters of the Dark Ocean. She decided not to mention this to Joe as she also gave it to him, even as TK gave her an odd look.

The others had apparently finished briefing Izzy on the situation regarding the tower, and the younger boy looked slightly pale as he seemed to go over all of the information, muttering quietly to himself. They all approached in a herd of digimon and humans, gazing at the wrappers that Joe was currently stuffing into one of the pockets of his bag.

"How many of those do you have left?" Wargreymon asked Joe, who closed and slung it across his back rather than returning it to its place by the tree.

"One," the elder boy replied, frowning. "How are you digimon holding up?"

The four looked at each other. "I think we're fine," Metalgarurumon rumbled, tilting his metallic head. "At least for a while."

Joe gazed his bag and sighed. "I don't know how much good one bar will do. Realistically, I don't even know how much longer we're going to last in this battle."

Tai took a tense breath, his eyes briefly unfocused as he seemed to think about the best action to take. "Well, we can either finish this battle or retreat. We still have a door to the Dark Ocean open at the top of the tower though, and that means we need either Ken or Gennai's help, and I don't even know if Ken could do it, considering Gennai's warning."

Matt looked over at him, nodding. "Well, hopefully we get a reply soon. And we need to make sure Ken's okay first before we demand anything of him, I mean, he nearly got his arm chopped off - "

"What?" TK jumped up in shock, his eyes wide in horror. "So that's what happened? You didn't tell me that!"

He looked extremely upset, as though hurt that no one had told him specifics about everyone's statuses. Kari felt a sudden sense of guilt. Granted, she had not wanted to worry him, given that he was likely already blaming himself as the cause of the battle they were currently in, but she knew that were she in his position, she would feel the same way.

Matt gazed down. "Look, there wasn't a whole lot of time back there, and we don't have the luxury of dwelling on details unless it's Joe acting as medic. We have to keep going on with this battle regardless."

TK grit his teeth, but he seemed to understand. "When this is over, I want to know everything that I've missed," he answered, clenching a fist.

"Don't worry," MagnaAngemon gave him an assuring nod. "We will."

Kari could tell TK still felt unhappy about everything as he stared angrily at the ground, but Tai had already moved on, more concerned with the ongoing battle.

"So we're all set now?" he asked, eyes leveled seriously with everyone.

They all glanced at each other. "Yes," Izzy replied, still slightly pale. "We should head out then."

Those leaving gazed at the four remaining humans, somber in understanding their roles. The digimon would fight, Izzy and Joe would rescue and help their other teammates, Kari would act as healer, TK would defend, Tai and Matt would work together coordinating. At this point, with the number of things going on, they needed division of tasks if they were going to make it out alive.

Joe smiled and quickly patted TK on the shoulder. "Hey, I'm glad you're back with us," he murmured. "Don't go off and let yourself get taken away from us again, 'kay?"

TK smiled, but not without a serious nod as Joe retreated toward Angewomon. "I won't."

"Take care of yourselves," Izzy added as the digimon reached down to lift him and Joe into her arms.

"Stay safe," Matt's voice echoed.

Each of the digimon momentarily paused to make eye contact with their respective partner. Kari gazed at Angewomon, unspoken words passing between them in mutual understanding. _Protect the others. Keep safe. Don't give up hope._

Then with a flurry of movement, the four digimon launched into the air and vanished into the trees.

The clearing was oddly empty without the presence of their partners. Again, Kari felt a distinct disconnect from what she knew was happening close to their location, with the sensation of the cold, twisted darkness that grew stronger by the minute. The view of that battlefield, filled with the Spawn in the midst of a barren field, clashed greatly with everything she saw before her... it made her agree full heartedly with Tai's earlier comment. She hated waiting.

Her brother suddenly gave a huge discontented sigh.

"I know everyone considers me the leader, but it feels so weird giving battle orders like this," he commented, rubbing his head. "And normally it's Izzy giving out directions because he's got all the info."

"You're not doing a bad job," Matt replied, seeming tired, tense, and in need of something to do to keep him from breaking down mentally. He trudged toward the fallen tree trunk, his footsteps echoing in the quiet clearing. "Anyway, it looks like we're going to be here a while. Any of you want a blanket or jacket or something?"

"That'd be great," TK replied, while Tai just shook his head, pulling out his D-terminal in the process.

Matt leaned over the trunk and picked up a couple of jackets, slipping his arm into one of them. "Hope Joe doesn't mind that I'm getting his jacket dirty. What about you Kari?"

She blinked in surprise. "Not right now, but thank you. Have those been there the whole time?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah," he answered, sounding as though he had expected her to know. Her confused gaze was enough to let him know that she hadn't.

Tai gave a half smile. "It was before her group got here," he called to Matt, who let out a small "Oh," in understanding. "Joe thought it'd be good to grab supplies, so he and Yolei went to the nearest TV and snuck into his house. Good thing too, because we definitely needed them. I guess we were so prepared to head out to battle that we packed it all away before you guys knew it was there."

_So that's where we kept getting all these things..._

As Matt wandered toward TK to give him one of the jackets, Tai opened his D-terminal, fingers tapping out a message as he explained things. "Anyway, I'll get this email out. Hopefully we get a response from everyone, and that'll let us know if they're okay or not and whether they need help. At this point, getting everyone out of here safely is most important, then we'll try and see if we can have the digimon digivolve further to get Imperialdramon and Omnimon here and destroy the tower." He tapped a button. "Sent."

Then he pocketed the device and began walking swiftly around the small clearing, too worried to do anything else otherwise, his eyes unfocused and hands clenched tightly into fists.

Kari heard a small beep from her pocket. Though she knew what it was, she still took out her D-terminal and opened it to see the message from Tai.

**Everyone, reply all with your status ASAP. – Tai**

She glanced back at her brother, still pacing about anxiously. The fact that he now had no choice but to wait must have been frustrating him, especially when he had been so involved in the constant combat the entire battle.

"Everyone should have gotten it," she stated calmly, gazing worriedly at her brother.

"Good," he replied. "Now we wait to hear from everyone. Did I mention that I hate waiting?"

"Yes," Kari answered, stepping forward and placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it'll be okay..."

Tai shook his head tiredly. "I don't know any more. Stakes have always been high when we fought certain battles, but this one... it's scary. I don't think we've ever done a fight like this before, not to mention I don't think one of us has just disappeared in the middle of one and lost their digivice. There are so many enemies, and if any of us got separated from our partners..." he laughed darkly. "Well, I'm pretty sure by now we know it's not the safest idea."

Kari wanted tell him again that things would turn out for the best, that they would all make it out of this battle alive and well, but she knew could not without lying to herself. She had the exact same feelings her brother did; she was worried, the wellbeing of everyone the only thing she had on her mind. The only thing they could do at this point was wait, hoping that the responses they received were positive, telling them that the others were okay... or they could be waiting, never receiving any at all, until grim reality struck them all with the realization of what had happened to all of the others.

Close by, she saw TK bundle up in the jacket Matt had given him. He looked grateful, smiling as though happy for the extra warmth after everything that had happened in the last several hours. But even still, there was that troubled gaze, and something in his eyes that had not been there before. It took Kari a moment, watching him, to remember that the situation was different right now, he blamed himself for it, and even something about him had changed subtly. Then she recalled the Dark Ocean, her memory of falling through the darkness, seeing him there trapped in the waves, surrounded by black and red...

"Tai, I'm replying to your email," Matt called, his D-terminal out as he typed out a message. "This'll let everyone know what's up with us right now."

The other boy nodded. "Sounds good."

There was a suddenly a beep that resounded from the three D-terminals present in the clearing. Matt paused in his typing, pressing a couple of other buttons in a rush to read whatever message had been sent; Tai had his D-terminal out again immediately, his eyes frantically scanning the screen of the small device. TK jogged up next to Kari, and she held hers over a bit so that he could also see the reply, hoping with all her might that whoever had written back had good news.

**With Ken, he's okay for now, hiding out under a huge rock thing. – Davis**

Beside her, TK sighed in relief.

"I'm glad they're all right," he breathed.

Matt nodded in agreement, glancing at them. "Yeah," he replied, his eyes still glued to the screen as he began pressing buttons again, resuming his typing. "I hope we can get Ken help soon though. He could use some of Kari's healing."

Tai remained silent, though briefly smiled. Then he resumed pacing, keeping his D-terminal open as he glanced at it every few moments.

The D-terminals beeped again. Tai jumped and checked his; Matt on the other hand shook his head solemnly. "It's just mine," he called, frowning.

Kari read it anyway, for lack of anything else to do.

**I'm together with Tai, TK, and Kari. Our partners are busy fighting, we're safe. – Matt**

She mentally reiterated Tai's statement – she hated waiting. It meant tension, anxiety, and the lack of control over what happened next. The only thing they could do was hope... hope that the others were safe and they could finish this battle without losing anyone.

The next few messages came quickly.

**On Zudomon, still fighting, we're both fine. – Joe**

**I'm with Lillymon. I'm feeling dizzy, but I think I can pull through. – Mimi**

**I'm doing okay, I'm on Megakabuterimon. Sora, you'd better answer. – Izzy **

**I'm stuck under rocks and can't feel my right leg, but the Spawn don't know I'm here. Ankylomon's still out fighting. – Cody**

She blinked at Cody's message. "That doesn't sound good."

TK, still reading over her shoulder, looked equally worried. "At least he's conscious and could tell us," he said, biting his lip. "But I don't like it. We need to get him out of there."

"Yeah," Tai answered, staring at the screen of his D-terminal. "I'll email Joe and Izzy... no, just Joe, get Izzy to find where Cody is, get him to tell Joe, then have Joe and Zudomon get him out, have Izzy and MegaKabuterimon bring him back here when they have Sora... or Ken..." he was muttering to himself now. "So the digimon are still out there, that leaves Davis as the only human fully fighting who hasn't gotten hurt... there's Paildramon and Lillymon, and Ankylomon's more or less by himself... haven't heard back from Yolei yet...or Sora..."

He shook slightly, visibly trying to hold himself together while going over the best actions to take. It was a sight that Kari rarely saw, one that signified just how dire circumstances were and how personally it had hit them all, enough that even Tai's confidence and mature strength seemed to waver.

Matt quietly strode over, placing one hand on his best friend's shoulder. "You can do it," he stated firmly with a nod. "You _are _a good leader, I've got faith that you can get us through this. Just trust your instincts and choose what you think is right. I'll still follow you no matter what happens."

Tai glanced back at him with a weak, pained smile. "Thanks Matt."

It took her a moment for her to register Matt's words and process exactly the situation behind it.

It shocked her. It shocked her to realize that her brother... her big brother, the one that she looked up to, who had led their group from the beginning, kept them together in crises and somehow brought them to victory in spite of the odds, could have doubts about his own ability as a leader.

Apparently, it was more surprising to her than to TK, who turned towards the older boy with a reassuring look. "Everything'll be okay," he said calmly. "Do what you know needs to be done."

Tai's eyes darted between Matt and TK for a moment. "Man you two really are alike sometimes," he commented, sounding slightly amused as his spirit seemed to lift slightly.

He caught Kari's gaze as the two brothers exchanged light smiles. She stared back, still wondering what else might arise from him that she knew nothing of... or perhaps, the hints were there, but she had never really noticed them until now. It was obvious he had spoken with Matt at some point about it, and now she just wanted to know what he was thinking.

Tai chuckled softly. "I'm fine, Kari. It's just... well, you know." He sighed, and Kari caught a flash of sadness. "All our actions have consequences. But when you're commanding other people and their lives are at stake, the choices you make are a little more important. Just a little."

_Of course he's worried then. I... I don't know what to say to him, I always thought he was doing great as a leader..._

The sudden trio of beeps interrupted her thoughts. Kari immediately turned back to her still open D-terminal, navigating back to open the new email. TK leaned over to see the screen, and, aware that Tai and Matt were already checking their own D-terminals, they read the words before them.

**on aquilamon things hurt wanna pass out yolei**

They both paled at Yolei's message. "Oh no..." Kari whispered.

Tai slammed his D-terminal shut, more out of horror than anything else. "Kari, you need to get to Yolei and heal her, she doesn't sound good. Matt, keep an eye on your D-terminal to see if Sora responds."

Matt gazed at Tai helplessly, as though wanting to do more than wait. He remained silent though, and Tai, too concerned by the new development, failed to notice.

Kari did, but knew it was better not to send Matt back to the field, or even encourage him, as it looked like he wanted to go. She nodded toward her brother in response. "I'll message her, see if she can get Aquilamon to fly over here. Otherwise I'll go look for her myself."

Tai briefly looked conflicted. She could guess why; after everything, he was reluctant to let his sister go onto the field alone, or even with one of them beside her.

"I'm gonna' go help Cody."

Kari felt something inside of her jolt. She spun and stared at TK, who returned with a serious gaze as he removed his jacket, placing it gently on the ground.

"No!" she shouted at him, shocked. "We just finally got you back!"

Matt and Tai both looked equally resistant to the idea of TK running off onto the field. "What if you get recaptured?" Matt pointed out, his face one of apprehension. "And out there, you're going to be a target, everything will go after you."

"I know," TK nodded slowly, his gaze assertive and stubborn. "But we need to get him out of there. Plus, I can help look for Sora too."

Matt's gaze hardened. "Then I'm coming with you."

"No."

Matt looked stunned. Kari saw that Tai was of the same mind as Matt, staring in disbelief; she gazed at TK, knowing that to have him go onto the battlefield alone was the last thing she wanted to see, yet feeling that she could understand why he wanted to...

She saw TK watching them, a mixture of nervousness and stubborn determination.

"Listen, it's not that I don't want your help, it's just that..." he continued somberly, staring into their eyes fiercely. "We're in this battle because I was the one who let myself get taken by the Dark Ocean in the first place. I wanted to confront everything and end it, but now it's come to this, where we've been fighting, and now we don't know where Sora is, and... I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me. But I can finally fight back, and I can't just sit helplessly any more, not after everything that's happened. So please..." he raised his head. "Let me go out there."

Matt opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, looking troubled.

"You don't have your D-terminal with you," he spoke, his voice low but unwavering. "We won't be able to contact you. Will you be all right?"

Kari's eyes widened. What Matt was implying, was that...

"I have the light with me," TK replied, raising a hand. There was a visible glow in his palm, a manifestation of the auras that he and Kari had been able to see.

Matt smiled. "Good, don't hold back then. And get Cody here safely."

Kari felt her jaw drop. _I don't believe it. He's letting him go?_

Tai apparently felt the same way, staring at his friend. "You know, you were the last person I thought would say something like that," he commented, crossing his arms across his chest. "But I guess this means we're okay with it."

_Tai too?_

TK blinked at the older boy, apparently having not expected such a lack of resistance. "Really?"

Tai shrugged, grinning back weakly. "Considering what I did back in the tower, it'd be hypocritical for me to hold you back."

Kari made a mental note to smack her brother for that stunt sometime when they were safe and not in the middle of a battle.

All three boys turned to gaze at her, TK in particular looking serious. She felt a little bit put on the spot, knowing that he was seeking her approval; she realized that he did not want to worry any of them, but after everything he had been through, he needed some way to take part in the ongoing battle, if at least for his own sake. Being the helpless one was something he never liked.

As much as she wanted him to stay safe, she had to remember that he was every bit a fighter and guardian as they all were.

She sighed. "I... I personally don't want you to go out there, but I think you should. I know that didn't make sense," she added at the boys when they blinked in confusion, "But you can make it out there. And I trust you." Then she nodded towards Matt, smiling. "Besides, Matt has good judgment. He was right about Tai, after all."

TK looked more relieved than anything. Kari felt a small warmth within her chest, watching him gaze back at her, as though he were saying something –

_Thank you. _

Tai quickly cleared his throat, glancing back at Matt briefly before speaking. "It's gonna' be dangerous, so I'll send a message to everyone letting them know you're out there, so they can look out for you."

TK nodded. "All right. And don't worry, I'll get Cody out," he answered. "Just keep working with keeping everyone safe, and healing whoever needs it. I'll look for Sora too, or anyone that's not with their partner while I'm at it."

"You know the way back, right?"

"The tower's like a giant beacon of darkness. I can follow it."

"TK..."

It was Matt who had spoken, looking at his brother solemnly. They all turned toward him, TK stepping up with his shoulders squared and a determined glint in his eye.

Matt spoke again. "TK," his voice was soft, and Kari saw he was shaking. "Be careful out there. I don't want to lose you again."

She knew. The combined stress of TK being taken by the Dark Ocean before everyone's eyes, then the revelation of his intended fate and the fight to save him before it was too late, and now with the realization that he had to go back into danger when he had just been rescued from it... and everything that Matt had ever worried about, since their first step into the Digiworld, as a brother, as someone who loved and wanted to protect him... she realized she felt the same.

"I won't let you down," TK replied, giving him an assuring nod.

Matt smiled, then suddenly rose up and embraced him again.

"You're going to get a lot of these today," he commented with a light laugh. "But I want you to know... I'm really proud of you, for getting through all of this and fighting, and keeping your hope alive. You've grown."

TK returned the hug. "Thanks Matt," he murmured softly.

They separated, and the older boy clapped him on the shoulder. "Go for it."

TK turned briefly, eyes shifting over to Tai and Kari. They lingered on her for a moment, and Kari met his gaze, strong and resolute, with the hint of optimism and hope that always lay within him. Despite all that had happened, she knew that part of him would never change.

He smiled and waved to all of them. "I'll be back."

Then looked straight up into the sky, as though sensing where the darkness lay, and burst into a run, disappearing into the undergrowth.

Kari listened to the sounds of his footsteps fade, the brushing of clothes against leaves and feet in the earth. Matt and Tai were silent, watching the spot where he had exited the clearing, as though unable to believe that he was once again gone.

"He _will_ be back," she found the words coming from her. "He's going to do what he can."

"Yeah," Matt glanced back at her with a resigned, but proud smile. "He will be."

Tai nodded, a determined look on his face.

"Now it's our turn to do our job too."

* * *

It took TK a surprisingly short amount of time to reach the field, weaving his way through trees, hopping over mossy logs and forcing his way between bushes along the way. He supposed he had to thank that sense he now had that identified the darkness and light; with so many Spawn and the warp to the Dark Ocean open, he had no difficulty knowing exactly which direction he had to take to return to the battlefield.

He stayed hidden behind a large tree, but he could see it – the Spawn swarming, various blasts of fire, ice, energy, the explosions, the transformations as the beings of the other realm shrieked and fought back against the digimon. There was a flash of someone who was quite clearly Wargreymon, spinning as he plowed through a large cluster, and then he was out of sight again. TK twisted his body around the tree trunk to watch, seeing the Spawn move apart to evade the attack, though several were not fast enough. He was too far away to hear their shrieks, but the sound of shredding and other loud booming noises from other attacks reached him.

He mentally prepared himself, checking to make sure the light within him was still there, constant and ready for him to use. He allowed himself a moment to breathe, thinking that while yes, he wanted to go out, fight against those who had harmed him and his friends, rescue Cody, and end this battle... he was also probably insane. He knew that had he not been taken to the Dark Ocean, he likely would not have made this choice.

_More reason for why I'm out here right now, _he thought wryly, feeling angry. _ Okay... hopefully none of the digimon hit me by accident. Let's do this._

TK leaped out from around the tree and ran onto the field.

The Spawn noticed him immediately. They shrieked with rage, transforming as they charged at him, some into harpy-like figures while others adopted the shapes of four legged beings whose bodies writhed as they stalked forward, tentacles sprouting from their skin. Still others remained in their true forms, their voices sounding hungry with the want for the power before them.

He no longer feared them. With his awakening, he now felt empowered, able to fight back and defend himself and others against these dark being's attacks; the corrupted darkness no longer followed him. Light burst from his body, whipping around him in a streaming whirlwind; he let it strike out any Spawn that came near, a natural defense as he tried to reach a different goal.

_After all, I'm the reason we're in this mess, so now it's my turn to do what I can to make sure we all get out of it._

TK peered across the field, looking for signs of Ankylomon while attempting to ignore the sounds of furious Spawn as they attacked and were fended off by the light he emitted. He knew that Dragomon must have sent commands to all of them through the corrupted darkness that had billowed out from the tower, and now they were trying with all their might to either recapture or destroy him.

But hope was with him again, and he knew he could fight back and protect himself.

Gazing in the distance, TK thought he saw a familiar armored digimon swinging his spiked tail about, using his heavy build to crush everything around him. He inwardly smiled, wanting to run up to him, to relieve him of the worry that a friend might be lost, but knew that at the moment, it was more important to find Cody.

Then he remembered that it might be possible that they really might have lost someone...

_Sora, Biyomon, please be okay..._

Running towards where he saw Ankylomon's distant form, he pulled out his D3 in hopes that he could track Cody's D3 signal on it. He hoped that if Cody had been able to respond with his D-terminal, which could have easily fallen from him, then his D3 was at least close to his location.

As he sprinted across the field, trying not to trip over any of the rocks or broken wood poles he saw, he realized that he was gathering the attention of a great number of Spawn, all of whom were moving in his direction.

He grit his teeth. "I don't have time to deal with you," he muttered angrily under his breath, changing his course slightly to aim for a less populated path. When several still came towards him, the light lashed out at them, keeping them away for the time being.

He sensed something dark speeding at him, and he instinctually ducked and rolled to the side, wincing as his shoulders hit the ground. He looked up in time to see what looked like a blast, similar to those he could unleash, but tinged with purple and black as it sparkled slightly as though frozen. He sat up and aimed his hands in the direction of the blast's origin, and returned one of his own.

TK pulled himself and kept running, staring at his D3 as his feet moved him forward. His attention was focused on it as he continued towards where he could hear Ankylomon's roars, watching for any sign of another digivice signal. He heard the sounds of the Spawn approaching, and he fired rays of light back. There was an attack; his shield appeared around him to protect him, and he countered with his own blade of light. He did not even try to directly engage in battle – his objective was more important.

The occasional digivice signal that flew quickly across his screen did catch his notice, and he looked up to see who it was that was nearby. He spied Izzy atop MegaKabuterimon, battling in the air while apparently searching for someone, gazing downwards and around, pausing briefly and only moving on after a few moments of scrutiny. TK caught a wave as the pair shouted down to him in greeting, before they continued their flight.

He kept running. Briefly, he saw Lillymon soar into view, with Mimi perched between her wings. They were too busy fighting to come to him directly, but even from far away, he could see their elation at his survival. Then, as quickly as they had come, they were gone, brushed away by the enemies in the sky above.

A whip of fire. He narrowly diverted it. A pulse of air. The light absorbed the shock. A flurry of needles. His shield protected him. Each attack was blocked, and the Spawn around him shrieked with ever growing frustration and rage at their inability to hurt him, their efforts growing stronger and desperate. TK watched carefully as he saw their huge numbers, now running at him and crowding together outside the boundaries of the light surrounding him, waiting as he watched the screen on his D3.

_Almost... now._

He released light in all directions, a furious explosion that was nearly blinding even to him. He felt the energy and power whipping around him, striking at all darkness that came near; he no longer saw, but sensed the Spawn around him as they vanished into the storm they were caught in, an intense whirlwind that only spun faster as he pushed more of himself into it.

Then he allowed it to die down, knowing that those who had gathered around him were now gone.

_And they can't follow me and hurt Cody either._

He could concentrate fully on his search now, but only for so long, for he knew that this reprieve would not last. He saw the faraway figure of Ankylomon jump up to crush some enemy beneath his girth, and he sprinted at the digimon, hoping that he would see a blinking dot on his D3 soon...

There were many piles of broken rock and metal littering the field, some looking as though they were the result of stray attacks hitting the tower, others the debris leftover from attacks that brought solid objects into being, or the result of explosions blasting open the ground. Most piles he saw were moderately sized, but he could see larger ones surrounded by holes and small craters – and he had a feeling that Cody was trapped in one of these.

He ran past the first he saw, as he saw nothing on his D3. The next closest one in view seemed more in Ankylomon's range, though the digimon was currently busy fighting off enemies some ways away. Knowing the Spawn must have been looking for him, TK ducked behind one of larger pieces of rubble, trying to sense everything carefully. After all, he could not keep actively fending off enemies if he was trying to focus on rescuing Cody.

He knelt down trying to let himself briefly rest. The cool morning air was blowing against him, drying the sweat from his body where it was mixed with the leftover sea salt and iron, something he welcomed as he regained his composure. Along with his own heavy breathing, he could hear the sounds of battle all around him, echoing around the entire grounds. There were explosions, crashes, the shouts of attacks, and the unmistakable low gurgling moans of the Spawn that shifted to high pitched screams as they became angry or attacked with fervor...

TK sensed a few coming, and checking to make sure he would be out of view, he dashed out of the safety of the rock he was behind, hopping under a nearby metal slab. He winced as his shoes squelched, burying themselves into the upturned soil at the base.

He heard no sign that the Spawn had seen or noticed him, so he glanced about again in caution and leaped to the next stone piece he saw, the runes on its black surface still glowing.

It was then as he looked down at his D3 that he finally saw a stationary blinking dot on the edge of the screen.

He gazed up in the direction it was leading him towards. There was the larger rock pile more in Ankylomon's range, beyond which there was another one closer to the tower. Between his location and those though, were no pieces he could use as cover.

TK decided to take a gamble and run for it. The Spawn were no longer following him, and it seemed several had moved their attention towards the fighting digimon. Digging his feet into the ground in preparation, he watched for a moment, seeing that the area was clear.

Then he jumped out and sprinted.

Perhaps he was lucky, or maybe it was the fact that Ankylomon had charged to the side where he was most visible, roaring as he smashed his spiked tail onto one of the melded Spawn. In any case, nothing moved towards him as he ran across the field, following his D3 to lead him straight towards where he knew Cody had to be.

As he reached the rocks where the signal had brought him to, he heard something explode from above. He turned sharply to look, and saw what seemed like a rain, only rain did not hiss and boil as it fell, twisting in midair as it coiled and released hot steam, coming straight down at him like deadly silver threads.

He could feel it, the corrupted darkness within the attack, and he instantly surrounded himself with a shielding orb of light. He extended it to include the pile where Cody was, hoping that he was strong enough to protect both of them from the onslaught; he gazed up to the sky, peering through the glowing yellow layers at the oncoming rain.

There was a flash and a shout, and he heard something from high above that sounded vaguely like a battle cry. Something zooming through the air collided with a dark figure, something that TK could barely make out through the bright light and the falling attack that seemed to mask everything in the sky.

The rain came down upon his shield, making a hissing noise as it withered and burnt away; TK caught the scent of something acrid and foul, with a tinge of the corrupted darkness and ocean water. He winced as he watched, feeling grateful for the food Joe had given him earlier, allowing him the strength to focus and continue using the light within.

_As long as that's still falling..._

Making sure to keep his mind set on maintaining the shield, he turned to the mound of rocks and called out.

"Cody! Cody, are you in there?"

The sound of the attack pouring down outside nearly drowned out his words, but he kept shouting, moving closer with his head by what looked like an opening.

"Hey! Cody! Are you okay? Cody!"

"...TK? TK, is that you?"

He could barely hear it, but the voice was there.

"Yeah!" he called again, his heart soaring joyously. "Just hang in there, I'll help get you out!"

"TK - "

The noise suddenly escalated in volume, and the hissing of so much of the cursed rain became a chorus of what sounded like millions of crawling insects, all crowded atop the shield as they squirmed, dug, burnt... the shrieks of the Spawn hung over that, piercing the barrier when physical attacks could not, coming from all sides.

He tried to block out it all out, focusing on the strengthening the shield. He could sense the multitude of dark forms crowded around them, unhurt by the rain yet unable to move past barrier of light; keeping the corner of his mind concentrated on the energy flow to maintain it, he began looking for a way he might be able to free Cody from the wreckage.

He felt worry pang inside him. He knew that physically he could not even hope to lift some of the rocks present, and judging from the fact that the younger boy could obviously still breathe and yell but not move, it was likely luck that the rest of the rocks had not collapsed on top of him. But if TK moved one wrong stone, then the entire thing could come crashing down...

There was a flash above.

"Flower Cannon!"

He recognized it now, the shouts and Lillymon's battle cry. They were right above him and Cody, fighting the airborne Spawn far in the sky. As the rain began to lighten, he looked up at the female digimon figure, spinning and charging at all nearby enemies, faring well against everything that swarmed around her.

In one moment, as he gazed through the shield, he saw both Mimi and Lillymon meet his eyes. They smiled purposefully, and Lillymon gave a quick salute while Mimi waved, both of them seeming much more serious, yet stronger than TK could recall them...

_They're helping me. They're watching from up above, doing what they can..._

Heartened, he waved back. He saw Lillymon dive back into action, Mimi shouting something in exhilaration as they wove through the air, attacking and striking, on the offensive as they fought.

Then he turned back to the rock pile.

"Cody, how much room do you have?" he shouted, keeping his shield up for precaution. The rain was nearly gone now, and no more came; Lillymon had seen to that.

He could hear the grimace in Cody's reply. "Not much," the younger boy's voice came nervously.

TK clenched a fist.

_What to do what to do I have to get Cody out but if I mess up it'll collapse and fall on him. If only I could shield – _

_Wait._

He glanced up at the light surrounding him like a bubble, still held in place by his own will. If he could already change and use the light like this...

He focused, concentrating the shield to decrease in size, coming closer to him. Though he had earlier had more difficulty with control, everything having been the result of raw emotion and power, he felt a little more at ease using the light that seemed almost natural to him.

The shield obeyed, shrinking slightly. Then he made it expand, trying to strengthen the light into a thick barrier.

Though it took some effort, it worked.

_Perfect._

"Cody, shine your D3 through!" he shouted again, kneeling down close to the ground. There was the sound of an explosion nearby, and TK felt the tremors vibrate through his bones. He winced, hoping that nothing near Cody had shifted.

A moment later, a brilliant light sparkled from somewhere within the rocks, just enough so that he could see its source. TK held his hand out toward it, trying to concentrate and use it to hone in on the person within; he sent a thread of his own light forward, connecting and pushing forward to meet what he knew was Cody's D3.

He knew that his DNA Digivolving partner was likely extremely confused by this point, but hoped that he would at least keep his D3 active. TK needed that link in order to make sure Cody would not be hurt in this attempt.

"All right, Cody, don't move! And I'll explain all this afterwards!" he called in.

Cody's voice sounded unsure, and perhaps a little bit awed. "Okay..."

Keeping the link, TK focused and made a shield with Cody at the center.

To his relief, the rocks shifted as the light expanded into a bubble. He had to stream a great deal of energy into the shield to make it strong enough to push everything; he found himself tense, trying to keep it at that level without having the rocks fall through. Gradually the shield expanded, and he even let the original one around himself and the pile fade so he could concentrate fully on the task at hand. He could sense the Spawn around him, but none were attacking him, and from the sounds of two digimon fighting nearby, likely would not be any time soon.

He had to take several steps back as several rocks tumbled to the ground. He thought he could see Cody now, a small figure curled up in the center, staring in amazement at the light around him. The sight of the boy, covered in dust and dirt, one leg twisted unnaturally to the side, gave TK a boost of motivation to finish quickly.

With a burst of energy, he pushed the light to expand further. Rocks fell, debris shifted, there was the corrupted darkness all around but nothing dared come near, and he thought it might be safe enough now…

As the last of the rocks above crashed away, he let the shield go and bounded forward to meet his friend.

"Cody!"

Cody rolled over to his back, trying to sit up amidst the multitude of rocks he lay upon. He looked well, considering everything; despite the grime, the scrapes, and how stiffly he moved, the joyous smile on his face was unmistakable.

"TK, you're okay!" he yelled as TK climbed up next to him. "I mean, I got the email from Matt so I knew you were okay, but... I'm so glad to see you, after you disappeared yesterday, and now you're standing here, and you're _alive_, and - "

"Hey, hey, take it easy," TK laughed, kneeling down and wrapping his arms around the smaller boy. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt an odd sense of déjà vu, except that this time he was in the other position as the older counterpart. "Everything's going to be fine."

He let go and took a moment to look down at Cody's leg. It looked fine down to the knee... but what came after that was a mess. He swallowed back a convulsed choke, staring at the unnatural twisting of the limb and some of the blood that littered it.

Cody winced as he gazed at it. "That... looks about as bad as I thought it would," he said honestly, glancing up at TK with a grimace.

He was surprisingly calm and collected about it, which made TK wonder how long he had been there.

_He's got to be in a lot of pain... I think he's trying to hide it because he's with me now..._

"Let's get you to Kari," he spoke reassuringly. "The sooner we get to Point A, the sooner we can get you healed up."

Cody gave him a quizzical look, but nodded. "Okay... I'll take your word for it. You said you'd explain...?"

TK realized that he still had yet to fill Cody in on the abilities with light that both Kari and he could now use. "On the way," he replied. "We need to get you out of here first. And..." he glanced up to where he could see Ankylomon, still fighting the nearby Spawn.

The digimon had obviously noticed what was going on regarding his partner, but had chosen to wait when he saw TK involved in something with light and the rock pile Cody had been in. Now that TK had finished and Cody was both safe and no longer trapped, Ankylomon quickly pummeled a Spawn into the ground and leaped over with surprising speed.

"TK! Welcome back! I'm glad you're okay! And you got Cody out!" he shouted, his gruff voice rising with relief and happiness. "Thought you were doing something, didn't wanna' interfere. It's great – you're here, Cody's okay, mostly..."

His voice trailed off as he stared at his partner. Cody grimaced back at him, and TK had the sudden impression that though both knew what had happened with the younger boy, it was only now, looking at the injured leg, that it really struck them how serious it might be.

"He's taking me back to Point A," Cody replied, apparently trying to look hopeful. "Can you hold down the fort here?"

Ankylomon blinked. "Sure thing, but don't you guys need some protection?"

TK noticed Cody's glance. "I've got it covered," he replied, smiling weakly. "I... well, light."

To emphasize his point, he gently released the energy into his hand, letting a warm yellow glow appear in his palm. He heard both digimon and partner inhale, in awe and understanding.

"Just like Kari," Ankylomon rumbled. "That makes sense."

Cody nodded in agreement, and TK let the glow fade, glad that they both seemed to already know about their abilities with light. _Maybe this means I don't have to explain it... I don't really understand what's going with it either._

The Spawn were still around them, but Lillymon was doing an excellent job of keeping them at bay, apparently having much less difficulty as an Ultimate than Ankylomon did as a Champion. She dove down towards them, sweeping past gracefully with the Spawn following; the two humans and one digimon below watched in admiration as she twisted in midair and fired upon all of the dark creatures, the light from her attack blasting through them.

Then she righted herself, and taking advantage of the lull, flew to meet them.

"Are you boys doing okay?" she asked, wings buzzing to keep aloft. Mimi sat on her partner's back, practically glowing with happiness at the sight of them.

Ankylomon nodded emphatically, while both TK and Cody glanced down at the injured leg again. "I will be," Cody replied, frowning. "I hope."

"You will," TK reassured him. He gave a thumbs up to the pair above them. "We'll make it," he called up.

Both digimon and human smiled.

"Matt emailed me earlier and told me you were out here," Mimi replied, seeming much more mature, calm, and... regal, than she normally did. "Lillymon and I will cover you as far as we can go."

Then her face lit up, a mixture of joy and concern. "TK, I'm so glad you're here, in the Digiworld, everything. This isn't a great place for me to try and give you a better welcome back, so we'll go find you after this is all over."

TK understood. Mimi and Lillymon were too involved in the battle, having been fighting for the majority of it; they knew their importance in combat, and with him saved from the Dark Ocean, realized that any celebrations would need to wait until the main threat was taken care of.

"Yeah," he answered with a nod.

The two of them smiled, the gravity of everything evident in their eyes. "Get Cody back safe," Lillymon added as she turned once again towards the sky, facing several oncoming dark figures.

Then she and Mimi were flying again, a blur of green and pink against the still lightening sky.

"Right," TK said, glancing back at Cody's leg. "Let's get going then. Ankylomon, what will you do?"

The large digimon looked conflicted, staring at his partner while chaos reigned around them. Cody, sitting with both hands on the rocks to support his body, gazed back with a hard glint in his eyes.

TK knew that look.

_Do what you need to do._

"I'll stay and fight," Ankylomon answered, tilting his head to view the black shadowed masses littering the field. "I'll have to trust you TK – that light'll have to protect you." A streak of green flashed above. "That and Lillymon."

He nodded. "All right."

They had to move quickly, using the time that Lillymon was giving them as she defended their position. "I'll carry you," he spoke to Cody. "Can you climb on my back?"

"I can try."

It took them a good few moments, as TK knelt down where the younger boy would best be able to pull himself up. He felt Cody's arms struggling to hold on as his one good leg pushed him upwards. He tried to help him on, taking care not to touch the injured section beneath Cody's knee; regardless, the small boy sharply inhaled when he shifted the leg so he could carry him more easily.

Ankylomon nudged Cody forward with his nose, and TK leaned forward to support the boy's weight. "All right. You okay?" he asked, straining his legs a little as he stood.

He heard a soft sigh. "Yeah."

He turned so that both of them were facing Ankylomon. "All right, we're heading back now," he stated.

Ankylomon looked concerned, and it was apparent that he was gazing at his partner. "We'll be fine," Cody spoke reassuringly.

The digimon glanced at both of them, the twitch in his eyes the only thing that showed him focusing on either one of them at a time. "Okay then," he rumbled. "TK, take care of him."

"I will."

TK concentrated on the uneven surface of the pile, carefully stepping down rocks to return to the stable ground. He took care to not bump anything into Cody's leg, and tried to be gentle as he hopped away to land. He could see Ankylomon out of the corner of his eye watching them, taking a couple reluctant steps before finally tearing his gaze away and charging back into the fray.

He felt Cody twist his body, and knew that he must have turned to watch his partner go. He inwardly grimaced as he began to walk, understanding the feeling of watching a friend go into danger.

_Matt, Kari, and Tai must be so worried by this then. But I got Cody... I'll make it back._

The sounds of combat and explosions still echoed around them, the Spawn surrounding them from afar, but nothing actually touched them. He saw Lillymon sweep by and destroy whatever came near, Mimi hanging on tightly to her partner's petite figure; he himself could sense each dark being that loomed around them trying to attack, and he mentally thanked the pair for protecting them and allowing him to conserve his energy.

"You know, I wanted to come into the tower to help you," Cody suddenly said, sounding regretful. "I'm... I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"You don't need to apologize," TK replied kindly. "Everything turned out fine, right? Besides, going up the tower was kind of awful, from what I heard."

Cody gave a shuddering sigh.

"It's just that, we're DNA digivolving partners," his voice shook. "And I couldn't do anything while you were being targeted by the Dark Ocean. In the end, I... never really helped you."

TK felt a pang of guilt, as well as a little bit of confusion. "You've been fighting in this battle, right?" he quipped, feeling the wind blow dust against his face. "You got hurt too. You _have_ been helping, and I'm grateful that everyone's fought so hard, when..." he grit his teeth. "It was my fault everyone got pulled into this mess. I never told anyone soon enough about the Dark Ocean either. But somehow, we're going to make it through this. Everything will be all right. So don't blame yourself for anything, 'kay?"

Cody was silent, though his arms tightened slightly, both of them draped over TK's shoulders.

_Everything will be okay... everything will be okay..._

He mentally repeated the words over and over as he walked, placing one foot in front of the other, forcing himself to move forward. Cody's weight made it too difficult to run, but he could plod steadily on, making his way gradually back toward the forest. He could sense Spawn crowding around them in a large circle, furious, their wails echoing eerily in the combat-filled space. Those that moved to attack were blasted away by the digimon flying above them, though even TK could tell that it was taking Lillymon all of her effort to keep the Spawn at bay. He silently reached into himself, feeling the presence of the light there, knowing that he was prepared to jump to action at any moment.

He could hear Cody's breathing, slightly ragged and pained as he seemed to finally let himself react to his injury. He tried to ease his walking, knowing that his movement must also be aggravating the leg, but given the chaos around them, it was all he could do to not fall. He just had to keep going, no matter what.

He felt Cody shift a little, one of his arms vanishing for a moment before reappearing with a D-terminal.

"Sending an email?" TK asked, curious. He still glanced around carefully for any Spawn that might approach.

"Yeah. I think everyone should know I'm out. It keeps me distracted too," Cody replied, his breathing still a little uneven.

It was a little amusing to see Cody typing things into the D-terminal while he was resting, leaned forward with his arms around TK's head, but it meant he could at least read what the younger boy was writing as he walked.

**Got out. Rescued by TK. Heading back to Point A with him. – Cody**

TK almost laughed when Cody decided, for some reason, to add a smiley face to the end of the message. "Why the smiley face?"

"Because you were the one who rescued me," he replied cheerfully.

TK understood what Cody was implying. _The fact that I'm back... that if anything, everyone succeeded in that goal. Now if only we can find Sora, get everyone else out safely..._

"Is there anything you want to add?"

"... tell everyone I say hi."

**P.S. TK says hi.**

_Yeah. I have to make sure everyone here makes it through this, alive and in one piece._

Lillymon was still above, agilely swooping back and forth, even ramming some enemies that she saw. Mimi had her digivice out, bursts of light shining from the screen every now and then as she tried her best to aid her partner; even then, there were so many, and TK could sense the tower pulsing, the horrible musky scent and humid feel of Dragomon's corrupted darkness streaming through its stone walls. He chose not to glance back at the structure, but he had a guess that the ground closest to its foundation were graying, losing color as the Dark Ocean's influence spread.

He heard a cry the pair in the sky, and he twisted his head upward to look. He saw Cody do the same, but gasped as he saw Mimi clutching her head, gripping tightly onto Lillymon's form, still trying to use her digivice against the attackers despite everything.

"Mimi, it's okay!" he shouted up to her, hoping that his voice would not die on the wind. "You and Lillymon – take care of yourselves, Cody and me, we'll be fine - "

She apparently heard them, as she lifted her head, her eyes both showing signs of pain and dizziness. With one hand, she pointed at a nearby broken slab of rock, a quick affirmative nod trying to convey everything.

TK hoped he interpreted it correctly, and still bent over with Cody's weight, tried to run to the rock.

Cody had already pocketed his D-terminal, but he clearly felt fearful for Mimi. "She got hurt earlier," he was saying in quick, short bursts as TK made his way closer to the rock that could act as cover for them. "Joe said it was a concussion, but a minor one, and Mimi went back out with Lillymon anyway, but if she gets hit again..."

TK ducked behind the rock slab, breathing hard as he rested his side against it. He looked up towards the line of trees on the horizon, closer than it had been; he grimaced, thinking about Mimi and Lillymon still fighting, and about what exactly would happen if the two of them were hit.

"Was Sora hurt earlier too, last time you saw her?" he asked anxiously.

Cody's silence told him all he needed to know.

He tried to focus on the task at hand. "Okay then... we're going to get through this. We're heading up for the trees, we'll do this as fast as we can..."

"Whoa, TK! TK, is that you?"

He blinked in surprise and turned to where he heard the familiar voice coming from, making sure Cody was still firmly on his back. _Is that who I think it is...?_

"It _is _you!"

Davis darted out from behind a nearby broken rock, ecstatic and shouting excitedly as he ran at them. He reached them in seconds, skidding to a stop before them and gazing at TK with an even expression.

Then, though TK half expected it, Davis grit his teeth and punched him in the shoulder.

"Dude, don't scare us again like that," he glared sternly, though the concern was painted on his entire being.

"I won't," TK answered back with a weak smile. "Not by choice at least."

Davis froze, his face briefly contorted, and he suddenly made a choking noise, abruptly pulling TK into a hug, much to his surprise. "Damn it, you..." he whispered. "I'm serious. I'll at least make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

Then he paused, as though just realizing that TK was currently carrying someone on his back. "Hi Cody," he said in a muffled voice, not bothering to let his friend go. "You get a hug too, you're hurt." And he extended his hug to reach the younger boy as well.

"Thanks," Cody answered, sounding slightly amused.

Davis held on for a few seconds longer before releasing them. He stood back, smiling in relief as he gazed back at them. It took TK a few moments to realize that despite his obvious happiness at their presence, the boy seemed tired, a little older, and unsure of what came next.

"Where's Paildramon and Ken?" Cody asked, his voice breaking through the sounds of battle around them.

Davis motioned up to the sky. "Paildramon's fighting. Izzy and Megakabuterimon dropped by and picked up Ken, they're taking him back to Point A." He grimaced. "I think I'm like the only person who hasn't gotten hurt around here. Me and Joe. Ken was okay for a while, but he's not doing so well any more. Izzy said Kari could heal him."

Then his expression changed to one of hopeful eagerness. "It _is _true? She can heal with her light powers now?"

TK smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Ken will be fine."

Davis let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Good. Glad to hear it."

At that, he glanced at Cody again. TK saw him bite his lip, grimacing as his eyes darted around at both of them, taking in signs of struggle and injury.

"I've been watching the emails," he spoke, looking more serious than TK could recall in recent memory. "Any sign of Sora or Garudamon? Or any other forms?"

TK shook his head, and he was aware of Cody doing the same. "I haven't seen anything," he answered, worry raging in his heart. "Sora still hasn't replied at all?"

"No."

They were silent for a moment, still hidden from the surrounding Spawn, but able to hear the sounds of combat that echoed around them, from Mimi and Lillymon to the distant sound of what could only be Paildramon shouting. Theirs was a tense pause, one filled with dread, and a fear that the worst could have happened...

"Go back to Point A," Davis suddenly commanded. "You guys were headed there right?" At both TK and Cody's nods, he gazed at them, determined. "'Kay. I'm staying here with Paildramon, give him support. You guys, keep out of sight. And yeah, I know about the light stuff with you, everyone does, Tai sent an email telling everyone, so no worries. Attack back with them if you have to TJ."

TK snorted. It had been a while since Davis had messed up his name. "You said that on purpose."

Davis gave a half smile. "Yeah. Just happy that I can directly to your face."

Grinning, TK aimed a low kick in Davis' direction. "Well, you keep safe too. And stay with Paildramon, you'll be better off that way."

Davis nodded to both of them. "'Kay. Get going then," he pointed, patting TK on the shoulder. "I'll see you guys later."

"You too," both Cody and TK replied.

Davis' determined expression was enough for TK to follow his command and walk again, leaving him behind.

The two digimon were above, Lillymon having made it close enough to Paildramon that the two were now fighting side by side in the air, dealing with all the enemies that surrounded them. The Spawn seemed to crowd around them, morphing into winged forms that burst up like a great cloud of black; TK continued to move, despite the sight, knowing that he had to just make it back to Point A with Cody, where the others were waiting...

The further away he went, the more everything seemed to blur. The dust was everywhere, he could hear the shouts of digimon, wails and furious shrieks of the Spawn, explosions, Davis' distant yell, Cody's breathing, his own thumping heart and plodding footsteps. He worried – for Mimi and Lillymon, fighting despite exhaustion and injuries, for Davis, for Sora and Garudamon, wherever they were, for MagnaAngemon, for everyone, but as the air grew thicker he found himself growing thoughtless, placing one foot in front of the other, sensing everything around him, dark and light.

_Keep going._

Spawn ahead. Light escaped from him and bisected them. Corrupted darkness all around, escaping from the tower, pulsing and congealing, preparing for something. Dragomon's influence was there, and TK feared that his consciousness was there too, knowing everything his darkness touched, angered by the one who had escaped. It was growing stronger, circling the field, soaking into the ground.

_Keep going._

His lips were dry, and something acidic dusted his tongue, and his rushing blood echoed in his ears. Cody felt heavy and almost limp, his hands gripping at his shoulders the only sign he was still conscious. There was still the corrupted darkness everywhere, its influence reaching further, curling around each solid object as the tower continued to focus and concentrate that power.

TK had no idea how to stop it. He just knew that now, as he moved, that he was alive and he had to push his way through, sense his way out of that darkness. He looked up and saw the lush green ahead, and in that moment, he thought he saw Kari in his mind's eye, beckoning him forward, towards light and away from the madness of the battlefield.

_Keep going._


	19. Savior

A/N: Phew! Really, I'm more excited to post this that I was to post the last chapter, because... it's done! This entire part is done! Just one last chapter to go!

Regarding the events of this chapter - this is how I did intend for it to happen all along, even back when I first began writing this story. However, there is definitely a planned sequel, which I may or may not start immediately on... I'm just excited to have gotten so far.

And here it is!

* * *

_**Savior**_

Kari had spent the better part of her time pacing, nervously watching the screen of her D-terminal for updates on everyone's conditions. So far, the only update had been that Izzy and Megakabuterimon were on their way over with Ken, and that Joe had found Yolei and Aquilamon and was trying to get their attention. From the looks of it, Yolei was practically unconscious and Aquilamon seemed to have gone insane from the shock, attacking desperately in all directions, so no one could get close enough to communicate with them.

The three of them had already cleared the area of leaves and twigs, attempting to make it as comfortable for anyone who returned. They had then grabbed out the blanket and spread it over the ground, using TK's discarded jacket to act as a pillow, along with whatever was still left behind the tree trunk. If anything, at least Ken would have somewhere to lie down that wasn't the grass.

Now they were just waiting.

There was a beep from her D-terminal, and she stopped in place to read the message. She instantly smiled when she did, relieved that at least one thing seemed to be going right.

_So hopefully, we'll see Cody here soon... with TK. He added a smiley face... he must be feeling optimistic._

Tai, plopped down in the grass next to his sword, breathed a loud sigh as he looked at his own D-terminal. "Phew... good to know they're okay. And Mimi got your message, Matt?"

The other boy, who like Kari was standing, nodded. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure she and Lillymon already found them... so everything should be fine. As long as..."

He grimaced, and Kari knew exactly what was on his mind. "She'll be fine. We're all fighters here," she replied with an assuring nod.

Matt glanced at her and smiled weakly. "Yeah, I know."

All three of them jumped as his D-terminal suddenly beeped again. Kari and Tai both looked at him expectantly, as he quickly looked at his screen to check.

A moment later, he gave a shout as he read the message.

"Great! It's from Gennai, he says he can't close the warp directly, but he's releasing a light power to counteract it. It's source is from kind of far away, but it'll get here and balance out the darkness and apparently do something weird to close the warp," he stated excitedly.

"That's awesome!" Tai jumped to his feet, ecstatic. "If that's the case, we should focus on getting everyone out so no one else gets hurt."

Kari felt joy rise in her chest. "I agree," she replied. _And we can finally end this nightmare._

Tai's brows furrowed in concentration, and he spoke in low tones as he seemed to try coming up with the next plan given the email. "Okay, so at the very least, we need the digimon to stay fighting for a bit longer, but the humans out. There's us three, and then TK's coming with Cody. Izzy's coming with Ken, and Joe's trying to grab Yolei. That leaves Mimi and Davis still out there, and... wherever Sora is. We need at least one person with a digivice still out there so we can communicate with the digimon, and we still have to find Sora... I don't know if we should leave that to the digimon or if we should be out there too... and if the Spawn are still around, after the warp closes, we'll still need to deal with them."

Matt glanced at his friend, then gazed down at the ground. "Considering everything right now... we... should get all the humans to safety until after that light power comes. Then the digimon and those of us who can fight back defeat the rest of the Spawn, and then we'll be free to look for Sora. I just hope it won't be too late."

Kari caught his eyes, and she could tell how grieved he was. Tai looked the exact same. They had no desire to abandon Sora, but given the conflict and everything surrounding it, they were trying to focus on helping everyone, given the weaknesses and strengths of each member of their team.

She pulled out her D3 and looked at it, hoping that whatever happened, happened quickly. It was the waiting that bothered her now, knowing that she needed to help the others but was constrained because she could not go directly into the field and act. TK had already gone, which left her as the only defense Tai and Matt had, in addition to being the healer.

She blinked when she saw the glow of three extra digivice signals coming in their direction from the corner of the screen. _Izzy and Ken. And... Sora's digivice._

Both Tai and Matt noticed as well, as she held her D3 so they could see. "They're almost here," Matt breathed. Kari eyed the splotch of red on his shoulder and remembered that he had initially been paired with Ken, who would be arriving soon.

Tai glanced at her. "You ready?"

She felt within for the light, the energy that sparked with warmth the moment she touched it. "Yeah," she nodded, clipping her D3 back to her belt. _I am_.

They all turned toward the direction of the tower, watching and listening. The sky was lighter, the morning sunrise having dimmed into a clear airy blue canopy. It would have been a beautiful sight, were it not for the knowledge that a raging battle existed just beyond the trees.

They heard Kabuterimon before they saw him. The sound of air moving and a loud hum of rapid wings preceded his appearance; then he burst into view, circling once around the clearing in an effort to slow down, as it was obvious he had been flying as quickly as he could. His wings buzzed madly as he descended, and he landed with a strong whumph on the ground.

Two figures, one with red hair, the other in a grey uniform, drew all their attention.

Izzy wasted no time. "Guys! Help me get Ken off!"

Tai was already there, Matt right behind him. Kari ran over to Kabuterimon's side, reaching up to support their injured friend along with them. Izzy crouched on his partner's back, holding Ken while gently easing his figure towards the three.

He looked much worse than when Kari had seen him during their charge. The bandages on his left shoulder had turned red, the bleeding having continued throughout the battle, and the sight of the injury, patched up as it was, made her feel momentarily sick. Ken himself was still conscious, though it was obvious that he felt horrible as he blinked rapidly, head lolling from side to side, groping the air with his one good hand. Izzy caught his grip as they continued lowering him down, gazing at him apprehensively.

"We're here Ken," he spoke, as though he had been repeating words of encouragement the entire trip back. "We'll get you healed, everything's going to be fine."

Kari placed her arms under Ken's legs as Tai and Matt carefully supported the rest of him. She heard Ken's faint reply. "Okay."

They lifted him up and brought him to the side, gently laying him on the blanket, taking care with his shoulder. He was surprisingly quiet, allowing them to move him while he did his best to facilitate everything despite clearly being in pain; from the sharpness in his eyes, he was certainly aware of everything happening around him.

As his body sank into the blanket, the others, kneeling down around him, looked up at Kari. She grimaced as she placed her hands over his injury. "I hope this works."

She focused on him, trying to push her energy to renew whatever he had lost. The light came when she called it, flowing easily as warmth that spread into him. His shoulder glowed as she concentrated, and though they could not see the actual wound through the bandages, he seemed to breathe easier, letting out a long sigh as he closed his eyes.

He suddenly moved, jerking about a little as he flexed his left hand. "Wow... Izzy was right," he commented, his voice soft but stronger than it had been only moments earlier.

Izzy smiled, visibly relaxing. "I told you."

The relief spread quickly throughout everyone. Ken obviously felt better, which meant that the injury was healing, and he would be all right. Matt in particular seemed to take it in, releasing a deep breath as he watched; Kari knew that Tai and Izzy must feel the same, along with Kabuterimon who still stood above them, gazing at Ken with concern.

There was a chorus of beeps from everyone's pockets. Kari ignored hers, busy healing Ken and knowing that someone would check the email that had apparently been sent to all of them. Tai pulled out his D-terminal on cue, and the others glanced at him expectantly, even Ken who opened his eyes and tilted his head towards the older boy.

"It's from Joe," he replied, frowning. "Looks like he got... oh no."

"What happened?" Kabuterimon asked, tilting his head sharply towards him.

Tai's brows furrowed. "It says... 'got Yolei. Coming with her on Aquilamon. She looks really bad, guys. Kari, be ready to heal the moment we get there.'"

They all looked at each other.

"That's it?" Matt blinked, his face quickly growing horrified.

At Tai's nod, Ken abruptly sat up. "Kari, stop."

His sudden movement had broken her contact anyway, and the light quickly faded. She nearly pushed him back down. "No, I have to get you healed up - "

"I'll be fine," he stated firmly, staring back at her. "I already feel way better than I did a couple minutes ago, and I can move my arm a little. Save it for Yolei, it looks like she'll need it."

"Ken - "

"You can heal me if she's not in life-threatening condition," he practically snapped back. Kari stared at him, and his gaze softened. "Sorry. I'm really grateful that you were helping me... but I think we should focus on making sure no one dies too."

He obviously had more than Yolei on his mind. Kari thought back to Sora, wondering where she and her partner were, why she had never returned their emails, why Izzy had found her digivice lying on the ground... it scared her to think about what could have happened.

Matt had opened his own D-terminal in response, gazing at the email himself. "Wasn't Joe going to let us know specifics on people's conditions?" he said fearfully.

Ken shook his head. "Even more reason to worry..." he answered, gazing at the ground as he tenderly touched the bandages on his shoulder. "Perhaps he didn't know how to describe it... which bodes very poorly for Yolei."

Kari bit her lip. As much as she wanted to continue healing Ken, he had a point... and now she began to fear for Yolei as well, having last seen her flying away from the field on Aquilamon due to having been burnt along her back. She had kept fighting even with that, and if she was as badly hurt as Ken inferred she was...

Ken was trying to stand now, using his good arm to support himself. To everyone's surprise, Kabuterimon reached out with one of his claws to keep him down, taking care not to touch the injured shoulder. "You're not going anywhere," he said sternly.

"I can't just do nothing," Ken nearly snapped back. "This is the Dark Ocean... that darkness, its' influence, it's everywhere and it just keeps getting stronger."

Tai and Matt glanced at each other. Kari recalled then having spoken multiple times about having Ken attempt to close the warp at the top of the tower, and whether it would be a good idea considering his condition, but given the recent news, she felt that this was no longer necessary.

"Gennai sent an email earlier," Matt answered, a slight curve to his mouth. "He's releasing light from some source far away, it'll be able to balance out the darkness and close the warp. Don't ask me how it works, but I bet that's how he's been working to close the other warps."

Both Izzy and Ken let out cries of relief. "We'll finally be able to end this battle," Izzy nodded excitedly.

"No kidding, I'm sick of this," Kabuterimon replied.

Though obviously happy at the news, Ken still blinked at all of them, seeming at a loss for words but wrought with worry and something akin to... guilt. Given how closely he had been tied to the darkness, Kari could understand why he perhaps felt a personal reason for involvement in the battle.

Tai sighed. "Listen, I know you want to get back and help fight... but you're injured, and I'm gonna' repeat what Wargreymon said to me – none of us are combatants. Maybe you're amazing at judo, but with your injury and the fact that fighting these things is way different from human opponents, it's just not a great idea."

"And this is coming from someone who spent a lot of time wailing away with a sword in the tower, so trust what he says," Matt added with a weak laugh.

Tai glanced at him. "And you with your pole? Oh, and who is it in your band that kept attacking you with mike stands? I'm going to thank him."

Ken, Izzy, and Kabuterimon just stared at the two of them.

With a loud, defeated sigh, Ken slumped where he sat, prompting the digimon to let him go. "I understand," he murmured, gazing at the ground as he pulled one knee towards his chest.

He said nothing else, looking morose as he gently tugged at the bandages that bound his arm to his chest.

Kari closed her eyes. She knew too – the feeling of helplessness as everything happened around them. Given the Dark Ocean and how it affected all of them, it made sense that Ken would want to fight against it to the best of his ability, even with his injury and the risk of losing his entire arm...

Suddenly spurred by her desire to protect everyone, she let her awareness absorb the sensations of everything around her. There was the natural light, native to the realm, but balanced by an equally natural darkness, a gentle shadow that intermingled with its opposing reflection. She sensed it from Ken as well, like the last remnants of something that had once encompassed his being, but now just existed... no manipulation or control, just its benign presence.

Yet from the direction of the tower, the corrupted darkness had grown even stronger. It felt so different from the natural darkness that Kari wondered why she had equated the two as the same... at the core, the two were identical, but one had Dragomon's tint, a musty, viscous thing that threatened to smother all life it touched. Having spent more time in the Dark Ocean, she recognized it now for what it was.

"Kari?"

She opened her eyes, drawing herself back from her brief meditation, in time to see Tai wave a hand before her face.

"Just... sensing everything," she answered, gazing at the grass beneath her. She could feel pulses, Dragomon's darkness reaching further with each one, leaking and spreading into the Digiworld. Yet something told her there was pressure, as though it were trapped behind a breaking wall that could collapse at any moment.

He looked at her, concerned. "So it's getting worse?"

She nodded. "Yes... it feels almost like... it's growing in force, and it could burst through whatever is holding it back."

The incredulous stares from everyone told her they had not expected that statement. "It's being held back?" Matt's eyes widened.

She struggled to find a good way to describe it. "It's like a dam. Normally, it holds up fine and keeps water from flowing through, but right now there's a hole with lots of cracks, and more and more water keeps coming, so sooner or later the dam will break."

The entire clearing went silent.

"That's not good," Kabuterimon said, sounding horrified.

Izzy shuddered. "No kidding."

Tai grimaced as he glanced around at everyone. "I hope that light from Gennai gets here soon. I don't know how long we'd be able to hold up if this happens, and if the darkness from the Dark Ocean ends up flooding the Digiworld... I don't wanna' think about it."

Ken was staring back out towards the battlefield. "That darkness... here... and then everyone still fighting... and we still don't know where Sora is..."

It felt as though everything that was happening... for each good thing, something else appeared. Kari recalled TK's words back in the Dark Ocean, when he had believed he would die there and was trying to impart as much information to her as possible, how Dragomon had changed that realm and would do the same to their own; if Dragomon was truly pushing his influence into the Digiworld, preparing for his invasion and eventual takeover, then they were running out of time.

Time again. Earlier, it had been a desperate race to save TK, and now it seemed their fate rested on Gennai and the light of their world that would come and close the connection between realms. If everything depended on that one hope, that help would arrive before it was too late...

She almost wanted to laugh. TK had been in the exact same situation not long before, knowing they were coming for him but forced to wait as he stood in the water with his life bleeding out of him. It was almost ironic that now they were relying on what Gennai had told them.

Ken pulled out his D3, staring at it and the black lines that decorated the exterior. Kari knew he was thinking about how he had opened and then closed a gate to the Dark Ocean with it, and she recalled how painful it was for him at the time. That gate had been small, just large enough to push Daemon through. The one open now had already poured out the corrupted darkness and an army of Spawn, and conventional methods could not close those doors.

As Ken looked at it, his face suddenly broke out into an anxious expression. "Two digivice signals, coming this direction, extremely quickly," he reported, gritting his teeth. "That's Joe and Yolei on Aquilamon, isn't it?"

Tai jumped to his feet. "Probably."

The others followed suit, Kabuterimon backing away while Ken rolled off of the blanket. He wavered a bit when he stood, biting back a groan as he shook his head and held his arm; Matt immediately grabbed him around his good shoulder to support him. Izzy pulled the blanket flat again, though he paused, choking for a moment at the streaks of red where Ken's bandages had touched it. Kari almost wanted to do the same, as she looked up from the blanket to Ken himself, still hurt with his shoulder not completely healed, still determined to do whatever it took to end the threat of the Dark Ocean to the Digiworld.

She took out her own D3 again, blinking in shock at how quickly the glowing dots moved. She replaced it on her belt when she realized that Aquilamon would arrive in mere moments, and she listened for the strong wingbeats that accompanied the digimon.

The bird-like digimon appeared in the trees, speeding out into the air above the clearing. Kari felt the wind on her face as he flared his wings, coming to an abrupt stop and descending quickly the ground.

Aquilamon was hurt. That much she could tell; one of his wings seemed stiffer than the other, the feathers blackened in several places and missing in others, several cuts decorating his breast and neck. He seemed exhausted and on the verge of panic as well, eyes bulging slightly in hysteria.

"We're here, we made it, you have to help her, please - "

Kari finally caught sight of the girl on Aquilamon's back, and screamed.

Yolei was barely recognizable. She was covered in severe burns and deep gashes, and something jagged was embedded in her right leg. Her injuries, paleness of face, badly dented helmet, cracked glasses, charred skin, crimson red blood...

_She's still alive, she's still alive, she's still alive – _

Joe sat right next to her, tending to some of the more grievous wounds. He shouted desperately to them, but Kari did not hear his words, she was already running, trying to reach her friend, knowing that her ability to heal was the only thing that could save Yolei from this suffering, perhaps keep her from dying...

She was not alone. Everyone in the clearing rushed towards Aquilamon, horrified and scared by the sight of what had happened, wanting to help as much as they could. Kabuterimon flew to Aquilamon's side, carefully but firmly gripping onto the digimon to ease him down to the ground; Tai, the fastest runner out of all of the humans, reached the digimon first and aided in lowering Aquilamon onto the grass.

The bird digimon practically collapsed, unable to support himself with two of his limbs. Kabuterimon managed to keep Aquilamon from hurting himself more, while Joe grabbed Yolei and held her tightly so that she did not fall. "Get her on the ground!" he shouted as the other humans reached them.

They moved quickly. There was so much of Yolei that had been injured, that the moment Kari made physical contact she urged her light to heal the other girl, hoping with all her might that it would be enough. She felt the warmth rise from within her, flowing into Yolei and spreading a soft pink glow across her body, even as they all crowded around and lifted her off of her partner to place her on the blanket.

Joe jumped down, shouting directions in an authoritative voice, though Kari was aware his eyes were on her as well. She just continued to draw light from the well within her, healing everything that she could. Ken reached up with one arm to support Yolei, and the blood on his bandages brushed up against her own shoulder; Aquilamon was still crying out hysterically, Kabuterimon now attempting to calm him down as the two digimon watched, and she barely registered all these events, too scared for her DNA Digivolving partner to think much else, her heart pounding and something in her head going numb.

As they gently laid Yolei down on the blanket, Kari followed the movement of her body down as she kept her hands on her. Izzy carefully pulled off Yolei's helmet and cracked glasses, revealing even more red...

Kari grit her teeth, refusing to buckle into any more weakness at what she saw.

_She'll be okay... I'll make sure of it._

She noticed everyone's breaths freeze as they watched, tense but taking solace in the fact that if all went well, then Yolei would be fine, despite her current condition. She let a small bit of pride seep into her at this, happy that the others could depend on her for this service, knowing that if she had this power, she would do everything she could for the sake of everyone.

Now that Yolei was safely on the ground and Kari had begun healing her, Aquilamon let out a low moan and briefly glowed. A moment later, his body shrunk, and Poromon appeared from the light.

"She'll be okay, right?" he asked, shaking as Kabuterimon carried him over. "You'll make her better? My bond with her... she's... it's not good..."

Kari bit her lip, trying not to break down herself as she continued to heal. "She'll be fine," she whispered, hoping with all her might that her words were true. "She'll make it..."

She had to have faith in her light, that it would heal everything, because the alternative meant that Yolei might die. She had no idea where the nearest TV was, or how they would explain her injuries to the hospital staff if they managed to get here there in time... then she was reminded of how they still had no idea where Sora was, that Dragomon's influence was spreading into the Digiworld, and they were waiting for the light to come.

Even as burns and wounds vanished, Yolei remained still, lying motionless and limp on the blanket like a rag doll. The only sign of life was the fact that her chest rose with her weak breaths, though even that lacked the sound of air passing in and out of her lungs.

Everyone else sat silently around their injured friend, the shock ringing anxiously within them all. They had never seen someone in this state before, and no one knew how to react any more, now that the only thing left to do was wait for the healing process and hope for the best.

Kari caught Ken's hollow gaze and swallowed. No... Ken had seen someone like this once, an event that had changed everything in his life.

Yolei's breathing suddenly eased, a little bit of color returning to her face. Some of the tension lifted as everyone relaxed slightly, relief settling into them. Kari continued to feed her light through, keeping a constant flow of healing energy while she inwardly let out a cry of happiness.

She was so focused on Yolei that it barely registered in her mind when Joe suddenly turned and began yelling at Ken.

"So why did you feel a need to go run back off to the battlefield when you were as injured as you were, you could have bled to death out there, and if it weren't for Kari I'm not even sure what might have happened to your arm - "

Ken seemed rather taken aback by Joe's outburst, but angered at the same time. "I had to!" he retorted hotly. "This battle was getting worse by the minute, we needed the extra manpower, I was still conscious, TK was in the Dark Ocean, and it was just as well since now we've got darkness streaming in through that warp in the tower!"

Tai and Izzy apparently had no intention to enter this argument, watching with some wary distance, but Matt butted in. "I'm with Joe on this, considering how hurt you were. As much as the battle matters, we don't want to lose anyone else."

Ken's brows furrowed as he glared at both boys. "Okay, fine. I understand why I shouldn't head back out, despite the fact that you let TK of all people leave to go help Cody, and Sora's still missing - "

"Because my priority is keeping everyone _alive_!" Joe shouted back, before Matt could say anything. "So if you're injured, that means not placing yourself back in a dangerous situation and worrying everyone!"

Matt gave Ken a serious gaze. "The only reason I let TK go out there is because at this point, he's stronger than basically everyone except Kari, and he'd already been healed up – you on the other hand, are still injured, and do not have those abilities, so unless you fix both of those things you're not heading back out!"

Ken opened his mouth to reply, but he glanced back at Yolei, still limp on the ground with Kari's light over her body. Then his shoulders slumped in defeat, as he continued to stare solemnly at her.

"It's the Dark Ocean..." his voice was soft, nearly a whisper. "I know what it can do... and everything just seemed to be growing worse... and it feels so close..."

His words felt trailed off, just as Kari felt another pulse from the direction of the tower. It was even stronger than before, and it send a chill through her. She recalled the Dark Ocean, its misty air and cold waters, the strength of Daemon, the thickness of the darkness and the mixture of groans and wails characteristic of the Spawn, and shuddered at the realization that it could become reality in the Digiworld if nothing stopped it.

Ken turned abruptly toward the field. "That's not good..." he murmured, eyes wide.

Kari gazed at him, something rising in her throat. "So you can sense it too," she stated.

He nodded. "A lot more now than earlier. Guess it's because of this thing," he laughed darkly, rubbing the back of his neck.

She thought of TK and Cody, on their way to this location... the digimon back on the field, Davis and Mimi still there with them, Sora who along with her partner was still missing... even if that light closed the warp, all of those people were still in danger. In particular though, she worried about Davis, Mimi, and Sora, all of whom were not digimon and might not be able to withstand it if they were engulfed by Dragomon's darkness.

She thought she distantly heard Tai telling Izzy, Kabuterimon, and Joe to go back out. She herself looked down at Yolei again, no longer pale, but still covered in her own blood and tattered clothing, and unmoving. It was obvious that many of her injuries had healed, but then why had she not woken yet?

Kari leaned down next to her ear. "Yolei? Yolei, are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Nothing. The sound of her breathing was the only answer.

Poromon suddenly hopped up next to her. "Please Yolei, please be okay!"

"She's okay," Kari said quickly. "She'll be fine." _ I hope._

She noticed Ken gently move himself closer, his right hand digging into the earth right beside the blanket.

"She has to be..." he whispered.

There was a gust of wind that blew across the clearing, accompanied by the sound of buzzing. Kari looked up to see Kabuterimon lift up into the air before flying away into the forest again, both Joe and Izzy on his back.

Tai and Matt, who had both apparently stood in the interim while talking to the three, reseated themselves nearby, but far enough to allow some space.

"So what's going on now?" she asked.

Tai closed his eyes, grimacing. "They're looking for Sora again," he answered, closing his eyes. "If Yolei is in this state, and she still has both her D3 and D-terminal and could even send a message earlier... I don't want to think about what might have happened to Sora..."

They fell into silence again. There was a slight hum from her light, something Kari had not noticed earlier, but the energy there still made her wonder how badly Yolei had been hurt.

_How long has it been since I started healing her? Why won't she wake up? Am I just really bad at it, so it's taking longer? What if I healed something wrong, and now something is messed up inside her and it's hurting her – no, don't think that, just keep healing, she'll be all right..._

It seemed like a long time before someone else spoke.

"Is anyone getting two extra digivice signals coming this way?" Matt asked, his digivice sitting on the ground before him as he gazed at it.

Tai pulled out his as well. "Yup," he answered, breathing in relief. "It's TK and Cody. At least I hope it is."

Ken, being the only conscious person in the clearing who had not yet seen TK, glanced back at Yolei one last time before jumping to his feet. He started jogging, but had to stop as he grimaced in pain and held his shoulder. Then he took a few steps forward and shouted.

"TK! Cody! Is that you?"

The sound of two voices echoed in reply, joyous as though recognizing who had shouted to them.

Ken's face lit up. "They're here, they made it, they're both okay..."

And seemingly without any regard for himself, Ken rushed into the trees to greet them.

Tai and Matt glanced at each other, smiling. Kari knew that they, along with her, all felt the same – they were glad, for it meant that both TK and Cody were safe with them. They had all had faith in TK's ability to fight and the hope he gave them.

In the forest, TK let out a great breath. "We made it," he said, tilting his head backwards towards Cody.

The younger boy, who had been holding his D3 out to track the direction, took it out of sight. "Yeah," he replied, sounding happier than he had before.

TK continued his walk forward, his legs now tired from the trek, knowing that it was finally at an end and they could get help for Cody. _And Ken sounds okay. I'm glad, from everything that I heard..._

The rustle of leaves and sound of footsteps made him stop and blink, in time to avoid tripping over a large root. He straightened a little and saw Ken's figure running at them, and felt his heart lift.

"Hey!" he called as he stepped over the root.

Ken ran directly up to them, his face brightening as he gazed at them. "TK! Cody! You both made it back, and TK, you're not in the Dark Ocean any more, you're back, this is great, and... Cody, your leg..."

TK glanced down towards his right, where Cody's injured leg hung limply. "I'm okay," he heard Cody say. "But you, your arm..."

He looked up again, feeling his mouth go dry at the sight of Ken's shoulder and the amount of red that soaked his left side. He had heard about this several times now, but seeing it for himself made it strike him even harder. _The Spawn, those of the Dark Ocean... they were actively targeting the humans, trying to kill us. Ken was the first to get hurt like this... _

"Did you get that healed yet?" he asked, gazing up and trying to ignore the sight of the bloodied bandages.

Ken nodded, shrugging, though only his right shoulder moved. "Somewhat. Enough so that it stopped bleeding and I could move it some." He apparently noticed TK's expression and added, "We got news about Yolei while I was being healed. I told Kari to save it for her."

Cody stiffened. "Yolei, is she here? Is she okay?"

Ken's face grew solemn. "She's here."

He said nothing else, and TK felt his heart freeze. _Oh no..._

"Let's go," he stated, beginning to walk forward again.

It still took a bit to reach the clearing, as TK had Cody on his back. Ken appeared to still be in some pain as he winced a little the moment he moved his left shoulder. They went as a small group, silent except for the sounds of their breathing and footsteps.

Ken gave TK a sideways glance, one that he understood the moment he saw. _The Dark Ocean. I need to know about it._

TK sighed. "I'm telling everyone what happened there, when we finish this battle. On a more immediate note though... I think Dragomon's preparing to invade the Digiworld."

He had already voiced this concern to Cody during their long walk through the forest, as well as a given short version of certain events in the Dark Ocean and how he had somehow managed to manifest powers with the light. Cody in turn had read out loud some of the emails that had passed during the battle, including the one that informed everyone of TK's abilities with the light, as well as a few from before the battle. Apparently, Cody had already read the email before being rescued, but never believed it until TK had used the light to save him, though he had been unable to tell Ankylomon beforehand.

The name drew a complete blank look from Ken, though the phrase 'invade the Digiworld' made him grimace. "It makes sense. Then this Dragomon – he's the one who brought you to the Dark Ocean, and spread all this darkness everywhere?"

TK nodded. Inwardly, he recalled how close Ken had been to the darkness, and how he had suffered because of it. _This whole battle... everything involving the Dark Ocean..._

_And the Dark Ocean wasn't always like this. Not all darkness is bad, in fact, by itself it's harmless... it's just the tool that evil prefers to use._

He was suddenly hit with another image of a particular digimon, and he gazed down in remembrance. _That world..._

The trees gave way, opening up to the familiar clearing. TK stepped through, breathing the clean air, knowing that on his back, Cody was doing the same. Though he saw Tai, Matt, and Kari all shout out happily at the sight of him, it was all he could do to smile back and call a greeting before he saw why Ken had refused to answer whether Yolei was all right.

He froze completely when he saw the girl on the blanket.

_No, no, no way, that's not Yolei, but it is, what happened, this is my fault, why is she like this – _

The pink glow surrounding her body told him that Kari was already healing her. Only slightly relieved, he and Ken hurried over to Yolei's side, where the others were still crowded.

"Set me down, I'll be okay, she needs help first," Cody said into his ear fearfully.

TK glanced around for an empty spot of grass. He saw Ken seat himself beside Yolei and stare at her prone body, while Kari looked up at him with a mixture of relief and sorrow at everything.

"She's better," she said mutedly. "I don't know why she hasn't woken up, but maybe it's from trauma or something..."

Poromon let out a small whimper. Ken reached over and pulled the small digimon close to him, keeping one hand around his fluffy body in a sign of comfort.

TK tried to lower himself so as to let Cody off without hurting him, but the strain and his own exhaustion made it difficult. Before he quite knew what was happening, both Matt and Tai stood and strode over.

"We'll take him from here," Matt nodded as Tai rounded to the other side. "Cody?"

TK felt the younger boy sit up, lifting his arms and balancing further back. Then the weight on his back vanished. He let himself fall to his knees in an almost automatic response, feeling the earth beneath his legs and breathing in relief.

He watched as Matt and Tai gently carried Cody to a clean spot on the grass, close to where Yolei was without crowding the space around her. In his exhaustion, he noticed that everything seemed a little distant, with words and the images before him passing by without a commenting though. He stared numbly for a few moments as they set Cody down, taking care to keep him as comfortable as possible, feeling his focus wander as the world seemed to move.

So much had happened in a short period of time. It struck him how surreal and dreamlike things seemed at times, as though he was both overwhelmed and unsure of how to take in all the events of the past several hours. He was aware, yes, of the flowing corrupted darkness, the peace of the forest, the light before him and teammates, friends, family, physically present yet oddly far away...

A firm hand on his shoulder brought him to his senses. "Hey, everything's okay," Matt spoke again, smiling as he knelt down. "You made it back."

TK nodded tiredly. "Yeah," he breathed, and he fell forward into his brother's arms.

"I'm so proud of you, you know," Matt hugged him close.

TK closed his eyes.

_It's funny... I wanted, for a long time, for Matt to be proud of me for being independent and grown up. I think, now, I'm just..._

"I'm just glad... that we're here," he whispered.

They crawled across the ground towards Yolei, sitting a short ways from her beside Tai and Cody. TK grimaced when he remembered that she was apparently better now than she had been earlier, wondering what her condition must have been. He had faith in Kari's healing abilities, as he recalled how it was only because of her that he had survived the ordeal in the Dark Ocean, but from her worried expression, he saw that she apparently felt differently. It seemed she was refusing to stop trying to heal Yolei until the older girl awoke.

Her breathing seemed normal, something he was thankful for. In fact, were it not for her position and the state of mess she was in, she might have been merely sleeping. He glanced at her dented helmet and glasses nearby, and how much of her clothing had burnt away; it was almost enough to let him know what sort of injuries she had had, and what Kari had already healed.

He had a sudden thought. _How long had Kari been there healing me when I woke up? Will Yolei..._

He was about to voice this question when Kari suddenly gasped. His head turned sharply toward her, when he realized she was watching Yolei.

He glanced at the girl, and saw her stirring.

"Yolei!"

It took effort for TK to not crowd her; the others seemed of the same mind, just relieved that she was conscious. Poromon nearly jumped on his partner, only stopping when Ken grabbed and held him down gently. Kari finally released her light, letting the glow around her hands and the older girl's body fade, and sitting back with a gratified smile on her face.

Yolei blinked a couple times, gazing up at everyone around her. "Is... what happened...?" she breathed weakly.

"The battle's still going," Tai answered with a solemn look. "But you're back at Point A with most of us. Everything's gonna' be fine."

She blinked again, staring as though not quite comprehending what he had said. "Okay... I'll take your word for it."

She lifted one hand, groaning slightly before letting it drop. Then she gazed blearily up again. "I... I can't see..."

Kari wordlessly reached over and plucked Yolei's glasses from the grass. She carefully leaned forward and placed them gently over her friend's eyes. "Better?"

Yolei's eyes focused through the lenses. "Yeah." Then they widened as she saw everyone around her. "Ken, your arm – Cody, what – TK!"

She struggled to sit up, despite what must have been her severe exhaustion from everything; he crawled forward and placed a firm hand on her shoulder as both Ken and Kari started at her movement.

"Just rest," he urged. "Don't worry, I'm back, and everything will be fine."

She cracked a smile up at him. "I'm glad... it's good to see you."

_She seems so tired... _

TK quietly moved towards Ken, giving him a knowing glance. The other boy nodded in understanding, carefully pushing a still shaking Poromon forward with his one good arm.

In a single movement, TK picked up the small digimon and plopped him gently on Yolei's stomach.

Poromon looked slightly startled to suddenly find himself sitting on his partner's belly, but Yolei just laughed softly, bringing up a hand to ruffle his feathers. "Everything's okay, right?"

The digimon shook, eyes glistening. "I'm sorry..." he whimpered. "I couldn't protect you... and you got so hurt..."

Yolei responded by bringing up her other hand, picking up her partner, and hugging him tightly, curling her body up slightly towards him.

TK allowed himself to sit back and watch, smiling to himself. He knew how worried Poromon must have been; he remembered Patamon in the Dark Ocean, how dire the circumstances had been, and how scared the digimon must have been ever since the shift from the Digiworld.

As Yolei held Poromon and inquired what she had missed, his mind wandered back to the corrupted darkness. It was strong, concentrated at the tower, from what he could feel, contrasting with the natural darkness that intermingled with the world, existing on its own as a benign, balancing force. He heard Matt and Tai begin to explain, while Kari moved towards Cody, still sitting in the grass.

She smiled sadly as she touched his shoulder. "I thought I told you to be the one to get out of here if things got bad... not charge in and get hurt."

Cody winced. "Well, it sort of just... happened."

TK found himself wandering in their direction, as Ken began to help the other older boys elaborate, though he paused briefly when he heard something about Gennai and a source of light to close the warp. He sat down next to Cody, feeling an odd mixture of hope and dread as what he saw clashed with what he sensed. The pulses from the tower were stronger, more frequent...

Kari frowned as she held her hands over Cody's leg. "I'm kind of nervous about healing this..."

TK glanced at her. "Are you doing okay with your light? Do you need some help?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. It's more that... I'm worried I might heal something wrong. After how long it took to heal Yolei... because it didn't take nearly as long for you, and I'm worried maybe I messed something up, and I don't have the medical knowledge to fix anything otherwise..."

"I'll be okay," Cody quickly interjected before Kari could go on. "We can wait for Joe to get back."

She sighed, her hand glowing. "All right, but at least I'm going to see if I can numb the pain, because this looks like it hurts a lot."

Light bathed Cody's leg for a few seconds, then quickly faded. As Kari sat back, he suddenly let out a long breath, his entire body relaxing.

"Wow, this is... Kari, you're awesome," he stated, looking at her in amazement.

She smiled slightly. "Thank you."

She turned to gaze out towards field. TK thought he knew why; the field was where Joe was... and Joe was looking for Sora, and Sora was missing, and the pulses were almost violent now, as though banging against a barrier with greater and greater force, even sending vibrations through the air and leaving the feel of something humid and wet on his skin. It was hard to focus his attention on anything else, with the strength of the corrupted darkness still growing limitlessly.

He saw Ken staring out in the same direction, and he briefly wondered who else could feel it. A glance at the others seemed to answer his question – Tai was still explaining things to Yolei, and both she and Cody seemed too preoccupied with either listening or being relieved that things had stopped hurting to notice anything else. However, Matt had frozen, brows furrowed with a slightly suspicious expression on his face.

Almost on cue, he crawled over.

"TK, is it just me or is something really not right going on over at the field?" he asked in a low voice.

TK grimaced as he tried to ignore what was beginning to overwhelm his senses. "The corrupted darkness keeps getting stronger."

"... I guess that would do it."

_I don't want to worry him... but with the way this is going..._

The sound of a beep and some tapping brought his attention back. "Anything new?" Matt asked as they saw Cody with his D-terminal out.

The younger boy shrugged apologetically. "Just Mimi asking if TK and I made it back all right."

Matt smiled. "Which you guys did. I'm glad I asked her to keep an eye on you."

"Thank you for that, by the way," TK spoke in gratitude. "It made it a lot easier for me to get Cody out of the battle zone."

Kari took out her own D-terminal, frowning as she opened the screen. Matt apparently decided to follow her lead, leaving TK feel irritation at the fact he had left his own at home. But from what he knew now, it was because of the corrupted darkness lurking around him, which had interrupted the signal and stopped the device from functioning properly.

"Nothing," Kari shook her head, looking up at everyone, including Yolei, Poromon, Ken, and Tai. "You don't think Sora ended up too close to the tower and so her D-terminal isn't working, right?"

Tai bit his lip. "You know, I hope that's the case. I really, really do."

_Sora... we're all scared for her..._

Matt turned to TK once more. "Did you see Garudamon, or any sign of her or Sora while you were out on the field?"

TK wracked his memory. He had seen the faraway figures of the other fighting digimon, but he could not recall any of them looking like Sora's partner.

He shook his head fearfully. "No."

Everyone was silent for a moment, gazing at each other unable to speak.

"So what happens now...?" Yolei whispered.

Tai turned to Matt, eyes betraying an emotion that was as terrified as TK had ever remembered seeing him. "Did Gennai say exactly when that light was supposed to reach here?"

Matt shook his head, both fists clenched and shaking. "No."

In one motion, Tai twisted his body and rose to his feet, staring towards the direction of the tower with an anguished look on his face. "That's it. Cody, email everyone for me, tell them I'm calling a retreat. All humans should come back here, but the digimon can keep fighting. TK, you stay here to guard everyone. Kari, Matt, you're coming with me. We're gonna' go find her."

Matt's reaction was immediate.

He stood up, more than ready to go, equally grieved by everything as he strode forward. Cody blinked down at his D-terminal, as though surprised by Tai's sudden command, but understanding and believing it the right action to take; Yolei still lay on the blanket, Ken had his hand on her shoulder while Poromon sat on her chest, and all three shared despairing looks, realizing how close the reality was, that maybe their team of twelve pairs might now be eleven...

Only TK and Kari sat still, too overcome by something else to respond.

_Something's wrong... it feels so wrong..._

For TK, there was too much. He hunched over with guilt, wondering if this was the price, that in exchange for his life someone else might be gone; at the same time, there was that dread, the distant sensation of humid mist that stuck to him, the pounding that was starting to hurt, as it became more and more like a heartbeat, as though no vessels were great enough to deliver the blood of the Dark Ocean into the realm of light, leaving it to build pressure behind calcified valves. It was alive, he realized... it was alive, because of the one who controlled it, and how his influence was woven into everything that was seeping into the world.

Kari could feel it as well, and she held her head as the violent pulses sent waves of force at them. It reminded her of the Dark Ocean now, the ripples of power Dragomon had sent through the fabric of space, and she suddenly felt an impulse to hide, to run away from this otherworldly threat that wanted her. Only she held the light, and this darkness would seek her out because of it, destroying everything in its path, including her brother, including TK...

"What's wrong?" Tai's voice asked, sounding anxious and almost distant.

"Everything," she gasped.

TK glanced back at her, knowing that she was more sensitive than he was, and though the corrupted darkness was not present in the clearing, the fact they were so affected by it could only give them an idea of how strongly it must have concentrated at its source. He saw Ken grimace as well, obviously feeling it; then everyone froze as it rippled.

"Was that...?" Cody asked, eyes wide in horror.

Kari caught TK's eye, and the same thought passed through both of them.

_We have to go..._

"We have to go..."

In unison, they both jumped to their feet.

"Don't leave the clearing, stay here!" TK shouted, panic rising within him.

Tai and Matt looked taken aback by the sudden change.

"But, wait - "

"Stay here!" Kari screamed at them, grabbing TK by the hand. "Watch everyone!"

They both ran.

The two boys yelled something as they left the clearing, but there was something horribly urgent, something about to happen that she and TK needed to be present at. They could both feel it, from the corrupted darkness that they could smell and sense in the wind, to the intense, forceful pulse that vibrated in the air, resonating from the tower at the center of the battlefield.

It was not difficult to make their way back to the field. The tower was visible in the distance, and even without it, the feel of the darkness corroding everything was enough to give them both a good trail to follow. It was only the amount of ground they had to cover that took the longest, the roots and plant life that suddenly became annoyances that impeded them, as they made their way through.

Kari had no idea why she felt such an urge to run towards the tower, just that she needed to go to it. It was the darkness... she felt a tug in her chest, drawing her onward, pulling her and TK to where it was strongest. Yet there was another feeling, one that told her they were running, not because the corrupted darkness wanted them there, but because they were _needed_ there, they had to make it...

TK could feel the light roaring within him, spreading through his body and down his fingertips, pumping through his blood as he ran. Even though his mind was confused, his heart and instinct seemed to know, and he let it lead them onwards, running with Kari beside him.

The change of balance between light and dark told them exactly when they reached the field.

It was there... the musky, salty scent, the thick mist that clung to their bodies, sticking to their skin and leaving them damp, the feel of the tainted air that invaded their lungs. It was the Dark Ocean, only in had seeped into the Digiworld, soaking everything it touched. Even the entire field lacked the vibrant color of their realm, the grey encompassing all... and the Spawn danced, waving their long arms in the air, bowing continuously in worship as their voices echoed in a guttural chant.

TK shuddered. It was too similar to the dark beings of the other world, chanting as the ritual took place and the water sang in response. It told him that what was happening now was something of the same source, the unearthly aura that hummed with energy as the world bent to the will of its god...

_No... that can't happen here!_

Kari gently squeezed TK's hand, knowing why he stood motionless and tense beside her. She gazed at everything, trying to spot Angewomon or any of the other digimon, remembering that Mimi and Davis were still somewhere on this field, and perhaps Sora as well...

She could not see them. What she did see were clouds of black, made up of the otherworldly darkness as well as the flying figures of transformed Spawn, circling in a joyous flight and filling the air with a layer of what could have been dust.

The tower continued to pulse.

TK's mind rambled uncontrollably. _It's alive, it's like a heart that's beating, and it's going to burst, what do we do now, Dragomon's coming – _

"He's angry..." Kari murmured, gripping TK's hand a little tighter. "That rage..."

TK thought he felt something else as well. This however lacked Dragomon's taint, but the wrath that rippled through... he knew it, having been a victim to it in those moments before dawn.

"Daemon too..."

_Where is that light?_ Kari cried out mentally, trying to sense if she could, a great force from beyond. _How long has it been since Matt got Gennai's email? It's coming, right? Right?_

_No... we can't wait any more. I'm through waiting._

"We have to protect everyone," she found herself saying as she stared at the tower. "That darkness, it's too strong, it's going to swallow everything, and we're the only ones with shields that can withstand it... Tai, the others, we need to get back to them."

"You go back," the words spilled from TK's mouth as he pulled Kari into a quick embrace. "Keep everyone there safe, I'll try to help everyone who's still out here on the field."

They both knew the need to protect, but they were only two humans. Not just two humans, but two children, and now in this moment, despite being gifted the powers to combat the darkness, they felt more helpless than ever.

TK released Kari and gave her a gentle push back toward where they had come. "Go," he spoke as she stood still, staring over her shoulder at him. "I'll be fine. Stay safe."

Something rose up within her, but she choked back. "Yeah. You too - "

She felt it at the same time TK did, a wave that came from the east ascending sun, rising from the earth. It was the opposite of what streamed from the tower, a force filled warmth and a moving power, leaving a blaze of shining wind in its wake.

_The light's here._

The presence of the corrupted darkness seemed to draw the light into the air, causing the two to twist around each other in battle. A sound akin to the knoll of bells rung across the field as the white rays became fully visible, streaking across the sky, through the clouds of panicked Spawn, straight at the tower.

The corrupted darkness, flooding into the world and saturating the face of the landscape, rose to meet the challenge. It struck back, engulfing and cutting off the light when it could, surrounding the tower with a thick, shielding mist.

Flashes lit the sky, as light met dark and warmth hit cold, clashing with red sparks at each encounter. It felt as though the world itself were in combat, as two powers raged against each other, struggling for dominance and the right to exist in this space. Dark tendrils curled around unwavering beams of light, fog blurred the two together, and everything became a woven cloth that blanketed everything in sight.

The light refused to give in. It lived in this world, and would not give over its reign to an invading force, especially one consisting of its eternal rival. It fought to keep the corrupted darkness from continuing its pollution of the land, while trying to reach the tower, the source of the taint. But the darkness still held strong, its shield keeping the light from attacking the one thing that allowed its invasion to persist.

As more light came, battering at the dark layer, Kari and TK both froze as rage suddenly flooded through the fabric of the world, through the ground, air, and everything else that had been touched by the corrupted darkness.

**A futile effort. Light cannot oppose me.**

The voice echoed through everything, rippling with the tendrils and clouds of black, the vibrations shaking their bodies.

"No..." Kari whispered.

It struck them both – he knew. Dragomon knew they were there, he could feel and sense everything through his influence in the corrupted darkness, even here in the other realm. He still wanted them, one for the ritual, the other as his queen.

It held them in place. Kari might have run back, and TK could have charged down the field, but that knowledge, with his will permeating the air, earth, and space, stopped them from moving. If only the light –

The light –

The pulses boomed, the darkness swallowed, the light screamed.

**I am Dragomon.**

The power of the warp exploded.

Darkness billowed out from the tower as a wave, a tsunami that engulfed everything in its path. Even from their position at the edge of the battlefield, TK and Kari could hear the panicked roars of the digimon, echoing over the still remaining din of explosions and screams, soon vanishing as the wave expanded. The rush of everything, wind, ground, debris, it all fell into the cascading black smoke, tumbling outwards and wrapping all those in the battlefield in a cold, devastating embrace.

They barely had the time to turn. It expanded too quickly, and they were given a moment to stare at the incoming avalanche of darkness before trying to put up a combined shield, the force about to make impact.

It was just enough. The darkness rammed into their shield, a booming noise nearly deafening them as the light tried to turn it back. It continued to pour and roll over them thickly, as though the ocean were crashing down on top of them with all its fury, and they were trapped beneath it in a small bubble that was their only protection, and if that failed the pressure would drown and crush them.

Fear of the corrupted darkness' power drove the strength of their shield. It was their last sanctuary against it, where they could stand against the force that threatened them. But even so, as they stood there within the light, the worry enveloped them. They thought to their brothers and those back in the clearing, by now completely engulfed... and the digimon and other Digidestined still on the field, having been closest to the point where the darkness had emerged...

_Please... let them be okay..._

Barely audible over the sound of rushing winds, the Spawn shrieked out, not in anger or fear, but delight. They danced in their element, rejoicing in the darkness that fed them and brought the power of their lord into the realm of light. It was their moment, the one of victory, and they jubilantly celebrated with cheers and cries of adoration to their lord, the one who would make this world belong to him.

Both Kari and TK could feel it in every raging tumble of the darkness into their shield, still shining with iridescent pink and yellow. Kari knew it as what she had always associated with the Dark Ocean, the taint and pull of the otherworld trying to take her and swallow her light. TK however, knew exactly what it was; he recognized it from his moments of despair in the other realm, the strength and will of Dragomon woven into everything, seeking to engulf and master all.

Despite everything and their efforts to keep safe, a touch of horror struck them as the shield began to flicker. Somehow, the corrupted darkness was overpowering them, pushing its way through relentlessly, melting into each weakness and every point where the barrier wavered. They pushed back, but they were only two humans, and this power they were struggling against was that of a god, a being who had taken an entire realm, and had now released his will out into the other.

There was more in it though. Anger, wrath, fury... it was interlaced in everything that poured over the shield, focused upon two souls that TK and Kari knew could only be themselves. Dragomon knew they had escaped... Daemon must have been furious as well... and what they felt pounding at them reflected that, a pulsating message in the darkness, saying that he wanted them back... that he _would _have them back, and there could be no denying him, he was the god of a realm and their pitiful attempts at resistance were futile in his eyes...

And then there was one weakness in the shield that was just enough for the darkness to take hold.

It exploded through.

Kari screamed as what seemed like black smoke poured into their sanctuary, and TK tried to close the hole as he panicked, but it was too late. Dragomon's corrupted darkness struck at them and the shield, destroying the manifested light from all sides, and suddenly they were engulfed, at the mercy of the cascading torrent flooding down at them.

Kari felt it eating away at her, burning and freezing at the same time, pulling at her very being. She cried out, hearing TK's voice as well alongside her own, the force of the Dark Ocean's darkness tumbling over them as though they were back in those waves, being flung in its depths without control or the ability to pull themselves through the chaos.

Beside her, TK was stricken with the same fear and despair he had felt through his entire experience in the other realm. He was unchained this time, and no blood flowed from his wrists into the ocean, but he knew the feeling of the corrupted darkness within him, pulling out everything that made him who he was. It was back, the tainted touch and the ice that froze him, the suffocating feeling of pressure from all sides as it closed in, thick and viscous, pouring in through his nose, his mouth, engulfing him completely. He screamed in terror, the familiar darkness and pain as it tore into him saying that he had not been saved, that he was still trapped in the Dark Ocean and he was no longer himself.

There was too much. Somewhere in them, in the last piece of mind that had not yet panicked, they remembered that the other Digidestined and all of the digimon had been swallowed by this darkness as well, and there was fear now, fear that the others could not withstand against this otherworldly power, and they would all perish there, the battle lost and Dragomon free to spread his corruption into the Digiworld and claim his prizes, the two human children who embodied hope and light.

Kari found herself clawing desperately, trying to grab onto something, anything that could lead her out of the darkness, where she could see nothing and sense only the overwhelming might of that undersea being's will.

TK found her first. He reached out for the first source of light he could sense, the last bit of light in the darkness he had, the link to sanity and everything that could pull him back to the world.

And as their hands touched, Kari suddenly felt the warmth and strength of his own power lying within him, and there was hope within her, but it was not only that, light and hope combined...

Somehow, they both knew.

They turned towards each other, grasping hands.

The light within them came alive.

For one moment, it visibly swirled around them, the two signatures of their selves mixing with layers of color weaving over and around each other. But it was not without the realization that the light had been strengthening and building for a reason, as the darkness had grown.

_Light and darkness... one cannot exist without the other. But when one grows too strong, so must the other to balance._

_Let's right it._

And suddenly, Kari and TK felt the energy and strength within them, and all fear and despair vanished. They could see the auras again, glowing so brightly around them that the light practically blotted out everything else, such that they could see almost nothing but the vague outlines of the landscape and those around them. The light's warmth blew past them as a strong wind, spinning around them as in gained energy, forming into one great glowing sphere that vibrated with energy.

The light of the world, once overtaken, now had a medium through which it could act. It burst on the spot, diving into the ground and streaming up through their feet, using their bodies and inner light as the roots that nourished and gave it the foundation it needed to reach its full potential.

It felt as though all the knowledge, the force, and truth of the world were running through them, passing by so quickly they only had a taste of exactly what it was. The power nearly overwhelmed them, but the light would not let them fall; it left them energy, hope, life, as it moved, almost as gifts of thanks for their will and what lay within.

They could no longer see. The world was white, blinding but not painful, its power both formidable, yet nonthreatening. It was part of them, a familiar sense that ran through their being, something that was still growing stronger and stronger in response to the darkness that had engulfed everything.

It was a balance. The light was fighting to regain its rightful place, a storm against the otherworldly dark that had overstepped its boundaries. It was as though a war were raging between the two forces, and the two humans who stood for light and hope were merely vessels that channeled the power into being. But because of their presence, the battle could occur, and now the mixture of both light and dark was tempering each other, and somehow...

The light was cleansing, releasing the natural darkness from its enslavement by the ruler of the other realm. They felt Dragomon's presence vanishing, his hold loosening as the newly purified darkness became wild and free, entwining with the light to become a force even greater than just each side alone.

Both light and darkness fought now, together in harmony against that which belonged to and existed only for the sake of the undersea master. And somehow, those who channeled the light knew they were at the center of something so much more than themselves, a great raging hurricane that buffeted and rained, pushing back the overwhelming power that had threatened to engulf everything. They fed their own selves into it, their hope and light seeping in as they gave their energy to aid these forces in sealing away the corruption and Dragomon's taint from the world.

And somehow, they could also feel energy flow into them from other sources to be channeled into the storm, as though the others knew that something momentous was happening and were trying to help as much as they could. But what they gave was not light, but something else that strengthened them – there were elements, the powers of fire, wind, water, lightning, earth, flora, but something else was there too, senses of perception, learning, memory, and prerecognition, all mixed together as one great power...

Within all of those, there were the presences of everyone, lasting imprints of their crests, their souls, and for a moment hope beamed from them as they realized that the Crest of Love was there, still strong though the presence of Sora herself was weak.

Then suddenly, the world seemed to stop. Everything around them felt frozen, trapped briefly in different planes that acted separately from them. The raging winds of light and darkness halted completely, while for a moment, they were the only things that still moved forward. Then there was warmth, as everything that hurt and gave them pain faded away, vanishing, freeing them from the horrors of the things that had passed.

There was one last second of lucidity, where the world was still and silent, but the air felt tense with energy with the static of something about to connect.

And then it roared with one great release.

Wind sang in all directions. Light and darkness struck everything. The earth moved, trees bent, moisture danced, and in the distance, a single being screamed, his cry of rage rippling through the corruption he had used, but that was in vain. His power was being pushed back, forced through the doorway, and at the same time cut off from the world. Whatever remained of his presence in the realm succumbed to the combination of light and darkness, withering to nothing.

TK and Kari, still at the center, finally collapsed the ground, unable to withstand it any more. Even so, they kept their hands tightly gripped together, the same feeling within telling them that this light they channeled had to continue, the hurricane of everything poured into destroying, cleansing, restoring, bringing things back to the balance of the world's forces. They lay there, the storm still swirling around them furiously, on the verge of complete chaos but kept on its path of ridding the world of the power that did not belong in it.

Then the light solidified.

The remaining darkness, freed from Dragomon's control, briefly danced joyously as it expanded and floated apart, dissipating from the partnership with its mirror force. They could feel it dissolve and disperse into the world, present but not harmful. It took them a moment to realize that in truth, darkness had always been a part of their realm, but it acted as a gentle balance to the light that reigned. And now it took up its rightful place, where it was in its natural, calm state when not being sought by those who wanted its power for themselves. It was strange, they suddenly thought, that a force such as the darkness could be so peaceful by itself, but because of its destructive capability was so favored by beings who desired power for power's sake.

The light, finally done with its work, shot apart with one last burst, sparkling as it faded into the landscape. Yet it was not gone; on the contrary, it left something that they had never noticed before, something that felt like a protective seal. Then suddenly, they realized that their ability to sense these, the differences between the light and darkness, was fading as well, all feelings of the fabric of the world and the constantly shifting forces vanishing from their minds and their beings, but despite it, something still remained at their cores... quiescent now, resting.

And then the world suddenly was tranquil.

A soft wind rushed over them. There was an odd silence, the sound of the air as it blew across the land and all that was there, the rustle of trees and whistling of rocks. There were no angry shrieks or gurgling moans, guttural noises or the patter of an army's worth of shadowed feet. All that was left was the serene quiet of a world after the battle, where the fighting had ended and peace settled over a once raging landscape.

TK opened his eyes, not even realizing he had closed them. He stared at Kari's still, but breathing form, hands still clasped tightly in hers, as she lay across from him.

She released a long breath. "That... what... how..." she murmured, unable to form the words to express her thoughts.

He gently loosened his grip, and he felt her hand relax a bit. "I think... we can let go now," he whispered, though he did not want to. Something felt comforting about feeling the warmth of her palm in his.

Contrary to his words, she subtly retightened her fingers around his. "Don't want to," she stated simply, finally opening her eyes as well. "Don't... wanna' move either..."

She was exhausted. All the events of the past moments had taken much out of her, and she felt perfectly content to lie there on the ground, letting her mind go blank and her body collapse. Somehow, she could no longer sense the darkness, or even light... but it did not bother her. She felt safe.

TK smiled. "We don't have to," he answered, shifting a bit. "We can stay right here." Then his eyes widened as he took in the view of the battlefield. "... whoa... Kari, look up, it's..."

She turned over, and saw the clear ground, but a distinct lack of a dark tower against the sky. It took a moment for the image to register, but as it did, she realized that something was very different.

She forced herself to sit up, fighting against the fatigue she felt. TK was there beside her, somehow pulling himself to his feet, helping lift her up as well. He drew his arm across her shoulders, and she wove hers across his, as they both supported the other, knowing they likely would have been unable to stand completely otherwise.

The sight of everything before them was enough to keep them upright.

Where the tower had been was a humongous mound of black stone and twisted metal, no glowing runes or glyphs illuminating the smooth faces. Broken wood and pennants littered the battlefield, along with the piles of rubble; scorched ground and scattered footprints spoke enough about what had been taking place on the field. Most significantly though was how the area was completely of the Spawn. Not a single one was left.

"Anyone care to explain what just happened?" a familiar male voice asked, breaking the silence.

TK and Kari jumped, turning around to see Tai standing behind them, gaping in absolute shock and confusion.

Very slowly, Kari and TK turned to look at each other.

"Um..." Kari began, though she was hesitant.

"I... don't... really... know?" TK finished for her, grinning helplessly.

Tai just continued to stare. They shuffled a little bit, unsure of exactly how to explain the phenomenon that had just occurred.

Then he sighed and scratched his head. "Well, uh, we're not being attacked anymore," he commented, glancing out at the field, now devoid of any Spawn or enemies. "I guess we won?"

Kari laughed weakly. "Something like that." Somehow, nothing felt quite real at the moment, as though the sudden lack of danger and an odd aura of peace were so jarringly different that it felt wrong.

TK frowned beside her. "Are Matt, Cody, Ken, and Yolei okay? Where are they?"

Tai gave them a guilty, sheepish smile. "Uh, I think they're back at the clearing..."

"You think?" Kari raised an eyebrow.

"I kinda' yelled at Matt to watch them and ran off after you guys."

"Something that I was very responsible and did, thank you very much."

Matt appeared from the undergrowth, followed by Yolei, who was holding Poromon, as well as Cody, and Ken. Surprisingly, the humans looked perfectly healthy and physically able again, though the grime, blood, and ripped clothing said otherwise. They all gaped at the sight they saw before them, the ruins of the tower and the empty landscape before them, filled with only the remainders of the battle but without the Spawn or the last traces of the Dark Ocean and its corrupted darkness.

"... wow..." Yolei said with her jaw dropped.

Kari ran up to her first. "Yolei! You shouldn't be up, you should be resting!" she cried out in concern, grabbing her by the shoulders and ignoring Poromon's surprised squawk.

Yolei just gave a smile, an honest one without any hint of pain or dizziness. "I'm fine. It's weird, but nothing hurts, and I feel completely normal... just really tired like I've been fighting all night."

"Which is, if you think about it, what we've been doing," Cody supplied with one finger pointed up.

"And you!" she shouted, rushing to the younger boy as well. "How are you walking? I thought we were going to wait for Joe!"

Cody shifted a little unsurely. "I know... but it doesn't hurt any more, and it's almost like..." He looked down at his leg, blinking. "It's like it never got hurt in the first place."

His brows furrowed and he turned to Ken, whose arm was still in its sling and bound to his chest. "What about you, is your shoulder okay?"

He gently touched it in reply. "There's no pain..." he mused, moving his left shoulder experimentally. "But I'm a little apprehensive about undoing these bandages, just in case."

TK gazed over at Cody, standing upright and able to walk without difficulty, then over to Yolei, who looked conscious and in full health. He himself was surprised at their current states, and he wondered about the others...

Matt, who seemed oddly happy as he stood with a large grin across his face, was still staring at the field. "Wow, running over here was worth it," he remarked, crossing his arms across his chest. "There's like nothing left."

They all focused their attention back at it, the lack of a looming tower the most significant of all changes.

"Is all the darkness gone?" Tai asked, tilting his head to the side.

Kari and TK glanced at each other.

"Well, I would guess so..." Kari spoke before TK could say anything. She nodded slightly toward him, conveying a silent message to him that he picked up on. _You explain the difference later. _

He nodded back, though he blinked a little. "But, it's weird... the darkness, and light, I can't sense them at all right now..."

Tai and Matt both gaped at him, shocked by his words considering everything that had happened, but something else drew the attention of the others – the sounds of movement as familiar figures appeared from afar.

"Hey guys! You okay?"

Everyone jumped in excitement, running forward to greet the approaching digimon that zoomed across the landscape. Tai sprinted up as Wargreymon landed, ecstatic; Lillymon was next, Mimi on her shoulders, both shouting unintelligible phrases in their happiness as they came; Paildramon soared in and landed, Davis hopping off his back and charging at Ken –

Mimi, now without the stress of battle, jumped down, strode straight up to TK, and pulled him into a tight hug. "Now that we're not fighting any more," she spoke, with a relieved laugh. "I owed you one anyway."

TK smiled as he returned it. "Yeah. I'm glad we both made it."

They heard pounding footsteps as Ankylomon galloped up, skidding to a stop amidst a cloud of dust the moment he saw Cody.

"You- you're healed!" he yelped. "You're standing, the Spawn are gone, it's..."

He finally shook his head, his body glowing. A moment later, Upamon jumped up from the ground into Cody's arms, too happy to be with his partner to do anything else.

The de-digievolution seemed to trigger a collective release of tension amongst the other digimon. Large bodies ideal for combat became bright, filling the area with light as they reverted, shrinking down to their smaller forms; Paildramon split into two, leaving both Davis and Ken to run and collect their now little partners.

As Mimi and Tai also went to pick up Tanemon and Koromon, the remaining three without their partners all glanced at each other, smiling at the sight of their friends. "It feels so strange..." Kari commented, her head turning to scan the sky for Angewomon. "That we're not in danger now..."

"I'm glad we're not," Matt replied to her.

TK nodded in agreement, closing his eyes. "Yeah... it's great."

He meant it. For the first time in so long, there were no dark figures at the edges of his vision, no evil trying to destroy that which he held dear. Even if this moment did not last, he took solace in the fact that right now, there was peace.

Someone else shouted from above, and they turned to see Kabuterimon descending.

"We did it!" the digimon was yelling, Izzy echoing him exactly as they settled onto the ground. The boy jumped off his partner, practically dancing even as Kabuterimon reverted to Motimon and hopped into his arms.

"And Sora's okay!" Izzy exclaimed brightly. "I don't really know how I know she's okay, but... she is! We should – oh..." he looked down at Motimon, frowning. "Well, that's inconvenient..."

The small digimon winced. "Well, I could try to digivolve..."

Matt laughed, walking forward and gently patting Motimon's head. "That's okay. I'll go find her once Metalgarurumon gets back." He looked up at Izzy, nodding. "And don't worry, you're not the only one who can tell."

Kari and TK could not help but grin as they watched Tai, holding Koromon, jump at them. They saw Mimi, with Tanemon, walk over to the group as well, while Davis and Demiveemon began poking around in amazement at Ken and Cody, much to their annoyance and Yolei's amusement.

_That light... is this all because of that?_

The sound of beating wings grabbed their attention.

"TK!" MagnaAngemon's voice echoed down from above. His body glowed with the familiar signs of reverting to a less powerful form, but he continued to shout even as changed. "The darkness is gone, everything's okay, we won, we did it - "

TK reached up as Tokomon dropped into his arms. "And you're okay, we got you back, you were fine out on the field too, did Davis give you my message?"

He blinked. "No..."

He turned to look at Davis, who paused from his pestering of Ken and Cody, saw Tokomon, and immediately looked guilty. "Oops, uh, I forgot?" he answered sheepishly.

Tokomon stuck his tongue out at the boy. "Well, doesn't matter any more."

TK nearly burst out laughing when Demiveemon stuck his tongue out as well back at Tokomon, apparently in defense of Davis, and the two proceeded to enter some sort of silly face war.

_I missed this... this sort of thing, I really missed it..._

Kari giggled, watching them, just as she noticed another shadow above them. "Angewomon!" she called up at her partner, waving.

Angewomon descended, a relieved, tired smile on her face as she came down. Kari saw Metalgarurumon flying toward them too, and Matt shouted as he separated from Tai and Izzy, running to meet him.

"It's over," Angewomon stated as she glowed as well. Kari felt a brush of warmth run through her, and held up her hands to catch her partner.

Moments later, she was holding Salamon tightly. "Yeah," she whispered.

She caught sight of Matt vaulting atop Metalgarurumon, and the older boy waving as the digimon sped off. They were searching for Sora... which meant that only one pair remained unaccounted for.

"Joe and Zudomon are the only ones left, aren't they?" she asked to no one in particular.

"They're on their way," Salamon replied, closing her eyes in exhaustion.

Everyone was tired. Yolei lay on the ground and curled up comfortably, Poromon still shaking slightly beside her cheek; Ken and Leafmon sat next to her, though the others remained standing. Despite it, Kari could see it in everyone's faces, their relief, the worn look in their eyes. Kari could feel it herself, fatigue creeping through her and settling into her limbs, her eyelids slightly heavy and head buzzing with distant awareness.

TK was the same. He had been running, fighting, trying to survive despite the odds. In this battle, everyone had. Adrenaline and determination had been their source of energy, and now that the fighting was over, they had the time to rest.

A beep echoed from everyone's pockets in unison. TK noted amusedly the speed in which everyone pulled out the D-terminals, and automatically moved to Kari to see what message had been sent.

Almost at once, everyone shouted in joy.

**Hey guys, Yokomon and I are okay. What's going on? What was that light? - Sora**

_They _are _all right!_

The others continued yelling, dancing around, hugging each other in celebration. Tai laughed as he grabbed Izzy, Mimi and Yolei embraced, and Kari dove into them; TK grinned as he joined the remaining boys in jumping and shouting.

He had known Sora and Yokomon were alive, through their contribution during the storm of light, but the email solidified in all. He felt elated, warmth running through his chest as the others cheered, and he let their energy push him as well, taking in their exuberant cries of relief and happiness.

They were tired, yes, but attitudes always shifted when it involved one of their own.

The excitement died down a little as everyone remembered they now had to wait. Tai emailed Sora, and learned that Joe and Zudomon had decided to aid her along with Matt and Metalgarurumon. Ken finally decided to remove the bandages, and with Leafmon's help did so, resulting in a great deal of surprise when he discovered his arm had completely recovered. Tokomon started dozing in TK's lap as they sat on the ground. The events passed, and it felt so strange, standing at the edge of a field covered in rubble and broken stone, where a battle had just raged. Everything was fresh; he could still smell the smoke, feel the dust blowing in the light breeze, but no enemy remained.

They saw their last few members approach before they became visible on their digivices. Zudomon's huge figure ran towards them, feet pounding against the earth, packing soil down in his path. Metalgarurumon flew above him, accompanied by a whirring mechanical sound, but it was the second human figure upon his back that everyone awoke and moved for.

The moment Sora and Yokomon hopped down to the ground, tired but smiling, nearly everyone jumped on her.

Tai was there, then Izzy, Kari and Mimi ran at them, and TK found himself pulled into the mix as well as everyone shouted, just relieved and happy that the missing pair was alive and well. Laughter echoed among all of them, Sora loudest of all as she assured everyone that yes, she and Yokomon were fine, and there was no more need to worry.

Then, as everyone stepped back to allow her some room, she set Yokomon down and embraced TK.

"Welcome back," she spoke, pulling him close.

He returned the gesture wamly. "You too," he answered, happy to know that she was there. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he gave his thanks over and over again, knowing that Sora was alive, and that he had not caused the death of any of his friends after all.

_Everyone made it... we're all here... we're all here..._

They separated, and TK noticed that Sora was wearing the jacket Matt had worn earlier. One look at the rest of her told him enough - her dirt and blood encrusted legs, bare except for a few ragged pieces of burnt fabric, gave him a clear idea of how badly she must have been hurt.

"What happened to you?" the words came out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

She grimaced, wrapping her arms around herself.

"We got hit head on. The last thing I remember is this huge explosion, then there was this warm light and I was on the ground next to Yokomon, buried under some rocks. We pulled ourselves out, then I sent the email, then I got Tai's reply about Matt and Joe coming to pick us up."

As everyone gazed at her solemnly, the two boys in question, both holding their now In-training level partners, walked up to her.

"It's a miracle that you're alive," Matt said, placing an arm around her shoulders as his eyes glinted. TK had the feeling that his brother was going to be more protective of her after everything that had happened.

Joe frowned, gazing at her, then turning his head to look at Yolei and Ken, both standing with their partners with no hint of pain or sign of continuing injury.

"You two," he began, "shouldn't be up, but you are. I know Kari was healing you, but..." he moved his attention to Ken, eyes scanning the boy's left side, now without a sling or bandages. "You still had your sling on last time I saw you. What happened?"

Ken smiled as he gently transferred Leafmon to his right hand and began waving his left arm around. "Well, Kari didn't fully heal it, but... it's fine now. It doesn't hurt at all and I have full function with it." He turned his head and examined the large cut in his shirt, the one that was soaked in red and showed very clearly the unmarked skin underneath.

Joe stared, letting his mouth open slightly. His gaze darted from Ken, to Yolei, to Sora, to Cody, and then to each of the members of their group, standing and smiling at each other. Then he glanced at his limbs, as though knowing his own scrapes had also vanished.

Then he finally gave a happy sigh. "That settles it," he exclaimed. "I think it was that light. Whatever happened with that light healed all of us." He paused thoughtfully. "I guess this means that technically, a hospital visit is unnecessary..."

Mimi giggled nervously. "I'm more worried about explaining my clothes to my parents," she looked down at herself, holes torn in her jeans and a couple rips in her shirt. "These were nice clothes too."

"I'm glad that we younger kids get outfits here in the Digiworld, because..." Yolei tugged at the remains of her shirt. "I don't think I could walk home like this..."

She lifted her hands to get a better look at herself, and suddenly shrieked as something made a ripping noise.

Poromon squawked as his partner abruptly dropped him. "Yolei?"

She crossed arms over her chest and looked at everyone sheepishly. "Sorry Poromon. Can I... borrow someone's jacket?"

She was standing very straight now, almost leaning backwards. A closer look at revealed the burnt fabric hanging off of her, loose around her front and on the back...

Sora brought her hand to her mouth, having been in much the same situation. "Oh goodness."

"Um, what we do about this...?" Poromon asked, seeming a bit distraught.

"This is awkward..." Mimi blinked as she stared. She immediately began glancing around wildly at everyone else, as though looking for something with which one of them could use to help Yolei out of her situation where the entire back of her shirt was gone and she was in danger of losing everything on the top half of her body.

Davis on the other hand just began laughing.

"This isn't funny!" Yolei shouted at him, bright red out of embarrassment. "I can't help it if getting hurt in battle means clothing damage!"

"I-I know," Davis chortled, holding his stomach and obviously trying to control himself. "But I can't help it, I know you got hurt and all, but this is just too weird!"

TK pointedly looked away out of respect, as did most of the boys, but several of the digimon just gazed about confusedly as to everyone's reactions. Poromon hopped over, whispering to Tokomon, who immediately jumped up and began spreading the word to the other digimon on the ground about why their partners were acting so strangely.

Kari on the other hand ran forward to her DNA digivolving partner and quickly grabbed the tattered ends of her shirt, attempting to pull them together.

"Thanks Kari," Yolei breathed, smiling weakly.

Kari frowned as she tried to tie the shirt back together. "Too much is gone," she reported, grimacing.

It was at that moment that Izzy stepped forward, removing the hooded sweatshirt he had been wearing.

"Here, you can take my hoodie," he sighed, chuckling nervously. "Joe's hoodie really, but I don't think he'll mind."

"I don't," Joe called over, his eyes still averted.

Kari grabbed it for Yolei, and Izzy returned to his previous position, keeping his head carefully pointed so as to give the girl some semblance of privacy.

Yolei released her arms briefly to grab the sweatshirt. She quickly pulled it on, and sighed as it drooped down on her, being much too large for her frame. "Thanks Izzy," she nodded towards him, though her eyes twitched as though she were scanning the pricks and holes in Izzy's shirt. "Joe, I'll wash your hoodie and get it back to you."

Joe smiled kindly at her. "There's no rush."

She picked sadly at the fabric that remained of her outfit. TK remembered that her helmet had also been damaged, leaving her with very little left of what she originally had.

Izzy shrugged. "I bet your outfit will just get reformatted the next time you come into the Digiworld. Or maybe you'll get an upgrade, who knows."

Yolei scrunched her face in. "I hope so, I'd hate to wear a backless shirt every day here."

TK glanced at himself, and then looked around at everyone else. The digimon had obviously been exhausted, as they were now in their in-training forms; every human showed signs of having just fought in something momentous.

He eyed the bloodstains, the layers of dust, the sliced cut in Ken's uniform, Tai's torn and ripped shirt, the back of Izzy's, knowing what was left of Yolei's...

He smiled wryly. "I guess this means we all need a shower and a change of clothes?"

Everyone looked at each other.

The odd normalcy of the last several minutes suddenly struck them as incredibly hilarious.

Laughter erupted from his mouth, but it was not filled with the madness and grief that had encompassed him in the Dark Ocean – only relief, joy, and the lightness of a lifted burden. The others burst out laughing as well, any tension melting away as the joyous reality fully sunk in. It was a warm feeling, something that had been so long taken from him by everything; he welcomed it, as he gazed at everyone, smiling and standing with him in one collective herd of digimon and humans that had all come together as a team.

And suddenly Kari was hugging him, tears of happiness streaming from her eyes; Matt had bowled the two of them over, and then Cody was there, and Tai, and Patamon landed on his head, and all twenty-four combined humans and digimon were piled on the ground laughing, crying, pounding backs, hugging, all relieved that every single one of them had made it through all the fighting and conflict of that early morning battle, and the person that had almost been lost was laughing in the middle of the dogpile, being embraced by those who cared about him.

The battle was over. And miraculously, they had won.


	20. Peace

A/N: It's done! The last chapter! After like five, six years? Wow.

I'll save most of my comments for the end. Enjoy!

* * *

_**Peace**_

"Let's go to the ocean."

TK had expected everyone to be surprised by his request, but he insisted anyway. It was something he needed to do, in the realm of light in the Digiworld, which felt so familiar to him. The others had initially just wanted to find someplace other than the battlefield to rest and figure out what next to do, especially given everything that had occurred over the last several hours.

There was too much that everyone needed to know, and it was best that they explain it all now, while the memories were fresh, before exhaustion and sleep overtook them. So, after some minutes of resolutely requesting that they make their way to the nearest coastal area, the others agreed.

Joe had split the last energy bar between Poromon and Yokomon, and somehow it was just enough for them to digivolve to their Champion forms. The trips to ferry the entire group to the ocean took a fairly short amount of time, as the nearest beach was not too far away; soon, everyone stood on a sandy shore that overlooked a beautiful view of clear waters and a long horizon.

TK was one of the last humans to arrive there. He hopped off of Aquilamon, gazing at the blue expanse before them, the images dancing before his eyes, the scent of salt and sound of waves more than the memories his senses remembered. Even the sand beneath his mud-caked shoes felt too familiar, as it shifted with each movement he made.

A solemn silence filled the beach as the others stopped to gaze at him. They knew of trauma – what kind, he had not yet spoken of, and even Kari only had what she had seen during the rescue – but they understood what effects the ocean had on him.

"TK?"

He glanced down at Tokomon, still in his arms.

"Give me a moment," he spoke kindly, kneeling down to place his partner down. He set Tokomon gently on the sand, running his hand over the digimon's furry back, taking in the warmth and security of knowing his partner was with him.

The digimon looked up at him, the concern showing in his eyes; TK smiled and nodded, then stood to face the water.

He ignored everyone watching. This was something he needed to do, before the association became too cemented in his mind.

His feet moved him forward, towards the water. The dry sand absorbed his weight, letting him sink down, forcing him to push off a little harder with each step; the sun shone down on him, warming his body even as the light breeze from over the waves cooled his skin.

As dry sand became wet, his footsteps left water-filled indentations as he continued. The roar of the waves rung in his ears, and he breathed in the sea mist filled air, taking in the salty scent that wafted up.

The sea before him was a beautiful, shimmering aqua blue.

Everything was different, yet it too similar. He could imagine the sight before him, but bereft of color and filled with a sticky, creeping sensation that left one feeling dirty and defiled. In another world, that was the reality, a place where a god of the dark sea controlled the waters and knew everything his influence touched.

_But it wasn't always like that._

TK knelt down at the water's edge touched his fingers to the lapping waves. It felt cool to the touch, brushing sand and sea foam up around his hand, the water rolling gently past before receding away back to the sea.

There was no darkness here. It was just the ocean, its natural current and long waves nothing like what he had experienced in the other realm.

Relief flooded him, and he gave a mirthful laugh. In a rush of inspiration, he ran and dove into the water, letting it wash over his head and swirl about his body. Cool liquid flowed around him, and he rode the wave that pushed him back to shore. It was more cleansing than anything to him, the feel of it pulling away whatever leftover sensation of the corrupted darkness he still had.

His head broke the surface, and he stood again, wiping the water from his eyes as he breathed deeply. He could feel joy, blood rushing through his body, the waves sparkling beneath him with both power and support. There was no need for fear, worry, despair... just existence and being alive.

He heard someone step into the water behind him.

"Are you all right, TK?" came Kari's quiet, caring voice.

He turned to face her, feeling oddly light. "Yeah," he answered. "Great, actually."

She smiled gently, and he saw in her eyes how she seemed to understand why he had just done what he had. She knew because she had the same fears, had been pursued by the same enemies, felt the terror of being targeted by those who wanted to take advantage of the power she held.

TK shook some of the water from his clothes and hair, letting out a long, content sigh. He felt oddly at peace with everything in that one moment, as the sun shone brightly above them. This was the realm he knew, filled with the hope and joy that helped everyone stride forward. There was no longer a reason for him to fear, not in this place.

Kari glanced behind her, and TK gazed up the slope of the beach as Birdramon and Aquilamon glowed, reverting back to their Rookie forms. Everyone was there, settling into something of a circle as they made themselves comfortable in the sand.

"Shall we?" Kari asked, holding out her hand to him.

TK nodded and took her hand. It felt warm to the touch, firm, comforting.

"Yeah," he answered.

They jogged up the beach, joining the others. TK could feel the kind, but worried gazes of everyone, including his own partner, but he did not shy away; these were his friends, family, those who cared about him and wished only the best. After everything that had happened in the last several hours, they had good reason to be concerned.

He stopped by Tokomon, smiling as he released Kari's hand and picked up his oddly solemn partner. "Sorry about that," he said cheerfully, hugging the digimon to his chest.

Tokomon did not answer at first, his ears twitching as TK followed Kari up the beach to the others. "I'm glad one thing hasn't changed," he finally spoke, curling up in the crook of his elbow.

TK rested his hand on the digimon's back and gazed at the circle. He saw Kari step up to where Salamon had saved her a seat, next to Tai, who along with Koromon smiled when she sat herself down and pulled her partner into her lap. She glanced over her shoulder and beckoned for TK to join her.

On the other side of the gap sat Matt, Tsunomon sitting on the ground in front of him. TK made his decision and sat in the space between Kari and his brother, noting that Sora sat on Matt's other side, and he currently had Sora's hand gripped in his own, apparently still shaken by everything that had occurred.

He gazed at everyone sitting in the circle. Again, he felt so much gratitude for everything they had done, and the fact that all twelve pairs of them were present. They had come too close to losing friends, teammates, family; he could see it in their tired, weary faces that the events of the past day would not be easily forgotten.

As he saw them, he realized that no one knew quite how to begin.

"So," Tai finally spoke, laughing weakly. "I say we hear what happened with everyone, since we were pretty separated during the battle. Dunno who wants to go first, so... dive right in."

Everyone glanced at each other, unsure as to how best to begin. Several people shot surreptitious looks at TK, which he noticed, despite their best intentions.

He sighed, grimacing, as he held Tokomon a little closer to him.

"If it's okay," TK said slowly, "I'd like to go last."

The others gazed up at him, nodding in silent, but supportive understanding.

"All right then," Tai smiled kindly. "We'll tell what happened on our side first."

TK wanted desperately to know everything he had missed, from the other warps to the entire battle. So much had happened, and all he knew was what he had experienced and whatever he had managed to pick up from what the others said. Now, he wanted a full explanation of everything.

He knew the others also wanted to hear his story, but part of him wanted to shove the memories of the past other world away and bury them deeply where they could never be found. At the same time though, he remembered Jigomon's golden eyes, the stories of the Dark Ocean in the days before Dragomon; it was a lost world, one seemingly doomed to eternity as the remnants of a thriving center of life.

In fact, the more he thought about it, the more a particular idea formed in his head...

Beside him, Kari placed a hand on his arm, briefly, just as another sign of support. Then she turned to face the others. "Well then, where do we start?"

It took a long time for each person to through their experiences. Izzy told most of everything that occurred from the point where TK had been pulled into the Dark Ocean, up to when they began the assault on the tower, with some comments from the others, as well as personal accounts when the group had split in order to check the warps.

The stories grew more harrowing when they reached the battle.

As the group had been separated, most of what was told had been unknown to the others there. They heard how Mimi injured her head, the story behind Sora's knee, Ken's arm... the latter of whom apologized again to Matt and Joe for worrying them. To TK, the accounts just made him freeze a little bit more inside, knowing just what everyone had gone through. When Kari spoke of being attacked, how she must have passed out on the field, he nearly burst out in horror, realizing the sorts of things everyone had gone through.

He learned that Tai had jumped off of Greymon in an attempt to reach his sister. Kari had attacked the Spawn back with nothing but a rope. Izzy once fell off Megakabuterimon while in midair and survived by hopping off of flying Spawn on the way down. Joe was nearly hit by a giant explosion of stone and fire that left Zudomon's back scorched. The same type of blast was what had reduced Yolei and Aquilamon to their injured states. Mimi had, in a fit of anger, leaped from Lillymon, landed atop one of the Spawn, and used her digivice as a weapon to destroy it. The attack that trapped Cody had not been the first of its kind. Paildramon had in fact thrown Davis off and ordered him to hide at the realization of how dire circumstances had become. The details kept coming, and TK felt more and more humbled by what each person said.

Sora and Yokomon's story was chilling in how close everyone else had come to sharing the same fate. They had been fighting a great number of the merged Spawn – too many, coming from every single direction. One moment of distraction was enough for a few attacks to make it through the defense of Garudamon, and the rest had cascaded in. From Yokomon's description, Sora had been hit early on during the assault, and the digimon had then tried to protect her partner as they tumbled from the sky, with fire, lightning, stone, and shrapnel raining upon them. The impact with the ground knocked her out and caused her to revert to her current form. Sora had been unconscious long before then.

Then Tai began his account of scaling the tower.

TK had already known some of what had occurred, and hearing it in detail from those involved only served to expand upon what they had told him in brief in the midst of the fighting. He smiled at Matt's comment on Tai's apparent love of bladed objects, felt pride at Kari with how she had used her light in combat, gripped the sand at Tai's decision to stay behind, heard his heart beating when Matt had urged Kari to go on through the door...

"And then, we..." Kari's voice trailed off as she turned to TK, gazing at him unsurely.

He felt his hands close, gripping in tension as he remembered. Everything that had happened, the moans of the Spawn, the derelict buildings, the misty sea air, dank cell walls, clank of chains, corrupted darkness...

"I can take over from here," he spoke.

Everyone had to know exactly what Daemon and Dragomon had been planning, because it involved the delicate balance between light and dark, something that everyone was concerned about and dealt with.

He gazed at everyone's expectant, but supportive faces. They were ready to listen, to take in and understand what he had been through, and help him if he needed it. He grimaced slightly at the sight of Sora, clad in the jacket and still showing the signs of having gone through physical trauma; everyone there had risked their lives in the battle at the tower, in order to save him...

"So, should I start from the beginning, or from where Kari left off?" he asked.

The others looked at each other.

"From the beginning," Ken answered, closing his eyes. He absently rubbed the back of his neck, an action that sent a chill running through TK in a moment of clarity.

_They need to know._

He took a deep breath to compose himself, and began speaking.

It was difficult at first, but everything came spilling out as soon as the initial barrier had been crossed. He had no idea how long he spoke for, but words just seemed to keep tumbling from his mouth, the description of his dreams, the darkness itself, to the abandoned world, his experiences, even thoughts and fears that he had been thinking while sitting in the dungeon believing he was going to die...

The others were silent when he finished at the point where he had awoken with Kari standing over him. He closed his eyes, exhaling, the memories of terror and pain fresh, brought to the surface and exposed. He could almost feel the water churning around him, the cold grip of the Spawn on his limbs, Daemon's claw clutching his head, the sharp edges of the cuffs at his wrists...

He heard someone move, and then felt a pair of warm, strong arms wrap tightly around him.

"I promise," Matt murmured, voice wavering, "I will never let something like this happen to you again. I don't care how old you get, or how strong you become. I will do everything in my power to help you."

_But, you already have been..._

"Just don't overdo it," he replied, returning the embrace and burying his head into his brother's shoulder. "I don't want to lose you either."

He remembered that though the experience would never go away, now was the time to focus on the present and the future. He would not let his thoughts linger on those moments of despair; here he was, his brother and his friends all around him, safe, away from the Dark Ocean. They had all survived.

"Guys," came Tokomon's slightly muffled voice, "You're squashing me..."

TK and Matt immediately separated, laughing a little and gazing down at Tokomon. The digimon took a couple deep breaths, looking up apologetically at having ruined the moment, but Matt just smiled and ruffled the fur behind his ears.

TK knew the others wanted to say something; they were both somber and angry at what had happened, and he recalled several times during his tale when Davis had nearly burst out in horror, or Tai had almost jumped up to shout, even Yolei and Joe... but they had stayed silent, apparently out of respect for the nightmare he had endured.

It seemed now that they wanted to say something, but Matt seemed to pick up on the fact that TK preferred that they move on. "Anyway, keep going," he nodded to his brother, returning to his seat and picking up Tsunomon in the process. "What happened next?"

TK glanced at Kari, who had turned solemn at his account of the Dark Ocean. He felt a hopeful tug in his chest and gave a weak chuckle.

The words were unspoken between the two of them, but understood nonetheless.

_I'm okay. We got out, and everything's fine. That's all I need._

_For now we remember. But we don't dwell on it; we move on for the future._

The rest of the story went more quickly, as several of them had been together and could explain more thoroughly what had occurred. TK noticed several people blinking curiously at his descriptions of Jigomon, and they stared in horror at what had become of the digimon, what he had done to allow their escape. Explanations of passage out of the tower made everyone realize just how much the addition of Wargreymon had helped them, but also of many strategic difficulties balancing power when space and allies were involved.

By the time they finally reached the end, as TK and Kari spoke of the light and how it had come through them, the sun had risen high into the sky and filled the air with warmth. Again, everyone was silent; it felt that the sheer amount of things that had happened were difficult to absorb, yet they had lived through it. The past day was now a new chapter to add to the countless other things they had done in all their time as Digidestined.

TK himself felt both lighter and emptier now that he had told his side of everything. It was a good feeling, being able to release and have that relief, not remaining under the weight of unspoken knowledge and grief.

The awe of the moment began to fade, and Davis suddenly spoke. "Uh, so what happens now?"

"I think," Tai began, gazing at the group, "we should come up with a plan as for what to do in case something like this happens again."

Everyone nodded in agreement, looking at each other solemnly. The flashes of red on their clothing, and distinct glances at Sora, Ken, and Yolei were signs that no one wanted a repeat of what had happened, but given the group's status as defenders of the Digital World, it was completely possible that they might have to fight in a full-scale assault just like the one they had won.

"Well, the first thing I'd like to say is that we already knew that humans are more vulnerable than digimon, and this entire battle more than confirmed it," Salamon spoke, years of maturity evident in her voice despite her current form. "And in a full-scale conflict like what we were just in... there's no guarantee we can keep you all safe all the time."

TK grimaced, remembering the words Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon had spoken to their partners in the clearing. From everything he now knew about the experiences of the others, he had to agree with Salamon's statement.

The others seemed to concur. "I guess that's been our greatest weakness in fighting," Izzy commented, a frown appearing on his face.

"But at the same time, it makes us stronger and fight harder, knowing we also need to protect you," Motimon added, looking up at his partner.

Izzy smiled weakly. "Yes... but going off of Salamon's point, what happens when even that's not enough? I think Sora and Biyomon are prime examples of this."

The two in question grimaced, glancing at each other.

"I don't really know what else we could have done though," Biyomon replied sadly, flapping her wings a little.

Matt winced. "That's not reassuring."

Sora gave him a kind smile and gently grasped his hand again, squeezing it.

"Hey, we came out of it okay, right?" she said to him. He exhaled shakily in response, staring down at the sand with a somber expression on his face.

She sighed, keeping her hand on his. "I was thinking back to what you guys were doing in the tower – weren't you and Tai able to fight off the Spawn with the weapons you picked up? And Kari did fairly well with that rope, and TK did okay with the hand axe..."

Matt's eyes widened. "Are you saying... we should all learn how to fight?"

Sora grimaced, turning towards the others. "If it keeps us alive, then... well, yes."

No one seemed to know how to respond to her statement. The digimon all clearly thought it was a good idea; Koromon and Tsunomon were exchanging knowing glances, while several of the others seemed to nod or shift a little in agreement. Salamon turned her head up to gaze at Kari, winking slightly.

"You _were_ really good with that rope," she smiled knowingly.

The humans all looked at each other.

To everyone's surprise, Joe suddenly started chuckling.

"What's up?" Bukamon asked, blinking as he flapped his flippers.

Joe shook his head wearily. "It's just funny... when we first started this whole adventure, everything, we were just seven kids at summer camp pulled into another world with no idea what to do, and just trying to survive. Now here we are, having just won a huge battle, and we're planning procedures and methods to protect ourselves and become more efficient as a fighting force. It's strange, looking back on it all."

TK found himself sighing along with the rest of the older group. It was true, looking back on it... and the addition of the light, how they had fought back... it added another layer to everything.

"No kidding," Tai nodded, sitting back tiredly. "And here I thought we were pretty experienced in fighting, but this battle was enough to prove that we've still got a lot to learn. I'm all for learning how to fight, by the way," he added, grinning a little. "As insane as it was, I kinda' liked being able to fight back."

"Yeah, same," Matt agreed with an oddly pleased smile. "It felt pretty satisfying, and I didn't feel as helpless."

"Yeah. You were kind of awesome."

"It was certainly helpful, since we knew you guys could take care of yourselves some of the time when we couldn't be with you," Koromon piped in, sounding rather proud. "Both of you lasted a pretty long time without us, just fighting alone."

Several of the others seemed curious.

"I'm almost sad that I missed all of this," Yolei commented, pursing her lips.

Both Cody and Upamon started gazing directly at TK, as though examining him while slightly lost in thought.

"Regardless of that, it still looked like TK and Kari had the least trouble," the small boy spoke, his eyes shifting between the two humans in question. "If the rest of us could do the stuff they were doing, we could probably..."

His voice trailed off, as several of the older group suddenly began looking oddly wistful. Matt made a small gesture with his hand, his eyes on a far away as though focusing on something no one else could see, while the others smiled at each other.

"Yes, we definitely could fight alongside our partners," Mimi stated as she wrapped her arms around Tanemon in her lap. "And with Kari being able to heal now - "

TK and Kari looked at each other.

"Um, I don't think that's going to work," Kari spoke, a little bit pained.

Mimi blinked at her. "Why not?"

TK chuckled weakly. "Well, uh... we haven't been able to sense the darkness since that light went and saved everything. And I can't manifest the light any more..."

Everyone stared at the pair incredulously.

"So, wait, can you still heal?" Ken asked, directing his horrified gaze towards Kari.

She winced. "I wouldn't count on it..."

Both of their partners, as well as Tai and Matt, looked extremely despaired.

"It's... it's gone?" Salamon stared upwards, shocked.

"You can't use it at all?" Tokomon sounded outraged.

"Man, and I liked you two being all powerful," Tai shook his head wistfully.

"Yeah, it was really cool knowing you two could protect yourselves and fight back," Matt added with a touch of pride. "Seriously, the moment MagnaAngemon said he'd be fine having TK out fighting on the field..."

The dichotomy of two horrified digimon and two somewhat more contemplative boys struck TK as ironic and amusing.

Kari seemed to take it upon herself to explain. "Listen, it's not gone, it's just... sleeping, I guess, would be the word for it," she sighed, shaking her head wearily.

The others gazed at them with quizzical expressions.

"Well, can you wake it back up then?" Davis asked, tilting his head to the side. The light glinted off his goggles, and TK suddenly wondered how in the world that headgear had managed to survive all these adventures without breaking.

Kari paused, grimacing a little; TK quickly leaned over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Try it," he suggested with a nod.

She glanced at him hesitantly, but lifted a hand and stared at it as though focusing. TK could feel something stir within him and try to move towards her; however, nothing else happened, and she sighed, lowering her hand.

"I think it might take some time," she answered, biting her lip. "But it's still there, and it responded when I called it, so we could probably use it again after we've given it time to recover."

Davis grinned and sat back.

"So just like the digimon then," he exclaimed, poking Demiveemon a little. "You guys'll be fine. I like this, being able to fight along with our partners. Maybe all us humans have super power too! Man, that'd be awesome. I'd wanna' fight with a big sword too, just like Tai!"

"Only when you're older and stronger," Tai pointed out with a wry smile. "It's heavy."

Salamon suddenly began grumbling, brows furrowed as she looked over to the side, behind Tai, at the large blade currently lying innocently in the sand. "You had no idea what you were doing, I'm still amazed you didn't accidentally hit any of us."

"Hey, he was awesome," Koromon countered defensively. "And he fought off those Spawn for a while by himself before I got to him."

The small cat-like digimon groaned, seeming much more like her Gatomon persona than anything else. "He still needs training if I'm going to trust him next to me. Matt was way better."

"Okay, before you guys keep going with this," Joe suddenly butt in, interrupting the two, "I've got a question for Tai. What the heck are you going to do with that thing?" he pointed at the large sword.

Tai glanced at the metal blade in the sand. "Well, I guess I'll take it home," he answered, scratching his head. "It did come in handy."

Kari blinked at it, then winced. "Mom and Dad are _not_ going to be happy."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do with it? I can't just... leave it, not after it helped keep me alive."

Izzy tilted his head to the side quizzically. "That's... oddly sentimental of you."

"That brings up another question," Yolei started, grimacing as she glanced at herself and the others in their circle. "What are we supposed to tell our parents? I don't think our 'village in danger' story is going to cut it."

Everyone looked at each other as the circle filled with an uncomfortable silence.

"Well I'm just not telling them," Davis answered bluntly, hugging Demiveemon to his chest. "They'll just freak out and then never want me to come back to the Digiworld ever again."

Joe groaned and slapped his palm to his forehead. "That's basically the response all of our parents are going to have to this, and I was considering telling them, since my mom is probably wondering why she's missing so many energy bars right now." He grimaced. "I think they have a right to know; after all, they know about the Digiworld and our role in it, and they're probably wondering exactly what sort of emergency it was that forced us to stay here overnight."

_That emergency being me_, TK thought gravely.

He was thankful that at least his mother knew about his involvement with digimon, but he already dreaded the aspect of explaining everything that had happened. He doubted anyone would be able to hide the fact they had just fought in a momentous battle; knowing their current appearances, he expected that their parents might drag them to the hospital regardless.

"Okay, so you guys can choose whether or not you want to tell your parents," Tai sighed, resting his head on his hand. "Since everyone's families have different levels of understanding on what our role in the Digiworld is. Anything else for future battles?"

"Yes," Joe replied, glancing at everyone. He seemed older, more serious; TK recalled that he must have been worrying greatly during the entire conflict, being the one trying to treat injuries and keep people alive. "I'm going to state a few more things I think would be good," he continued once he had everyone's attention. "First, I think after we get some rest, we should write up our experiences with this battle and file it away for reference. That way we know what people did in certain situations and we can also figure out what's best to do, or not quite so good to do."

"I like this idea Joe," Izzy nodded firmly. "In fact, I think we should make this into a habit after whatever we do in the Digiworld. And we should send reports around – that way, everyone knows what's going on and we don't randomly discover that some town got burnt down and half the team went to help, like two weeks after it happened."

Tai frowned at him. "Are you _still_ bitter about the whole Andromon and Kari thing?"

Izzy shook his head in exasperation. "No. That's not why I'm stating this. But now that you mention it, it might be nice to get updates on things quickly anyway."

It was again at this moment that TK wished he had his D-terminal with him, to read everything that he had missed. He guessed that the moment he did have it, he would see it filled with all the emails of the past day, even several from the last couple weeks, he imagined; he felt his tiredness cause him to lose focus and let everything move past him as Izzy continued to make his case, leading to some arguing amongst some of the older group, and finally to Tai throwing his arms up in the air and proclaiming that they would try it.

"Wonderful," Izzy nodded firmly, sitting back a bit. "Now that we have that taken care of, I'd like to ask a few questions, if you don't mind."

He turned to gaze sternly at TK, who blinked, half expecting something like this.

He shrugged. "Fire away."

Izzy rested a hand on his chin in thought. "This corrupted darkness – how different is it from regular darkness? What was it like when you could sense it? And the Spawn – they're directly connected?"

TK nodded, thinking back on everything. "Yeah... according to Jigomon, the Spawn never appeared until Dragomon began taking over the Dark Ocean. And Dragomon..." he unwillingly shuddered, remembering the sight of that being, though it was less than when he had told his story. "He's the source, and the corrupted darkness felt like him. It's like..."

He struggled to think of some way to describe the difference.

Kari seemed to note his difficulty, and decided to help. "It's thick, and it's a little warmer and more wet. It just... feels dirtier."

TK nodded in agreement, thankful for her input. "Yeah... kind of sticky and static too. Natural darkness doesn't feel like that, it's pretty clean."

The others looked at each other unsurely, as though the word 'clean' was not something they would normally use to describe darkness.

"So then, if this corrupted darkness is what we've dealt with in the past day," Ken began, eyes narrowing, "then what was it we fought in the past?"

TK shrugged helplessly. "Probably a mixture of both, depending on whether the Dark Ocean was involved or not. From what I know now, darkness isn't really a force purely for good or evil, it's just the element that evil likes to use. Like water," he added, glancing over at Joe and Bukamon. "It's neutral by itself, but depending on who uses it, it can be used for either good or bad."

Joe chuckled at that. "Nice analogy. Especially considering this was the Dark Ocean, after all."

Ken still looked unsure, something that TK noted. He whispered something to Leafmon, who still looked exhausted despite having returned to his Baby form rather than In-training, like all the others; his unease was noted by several of the others as well.

"So all the things we've seen," Biyomon brought up, glancing at Ken, then over to her own partner as well as Matt and Tsunomon. "With the Dark Ocean and everything – it's connected to this part of the Digiworld a lot more than we thought, huh?"

"I think it seeps through," Leafmon said morosely. Everyone turned to him as he closed his eyes. "It affects some people more than others... maybe that's why some of us were touched by it before others were."

"All of us have now," Cody shook his head. "I don't know what'll happen, but I bet all of us will be able to tell if something's up, if this ever happens again."

"About that," Tai started, turning back to Izzy. "Did Gennai email you back yet?"

Sometime earlier, after the battle but before coming to the beach, Izzy had emailed their old friend to thank him for the aid and also ask how the world barriers were faring. Having been involved in closing warps and trying to keep damage from the dark realm to a minimum, Gennai and his associates would know how stable everything was, and if to expect a similar crisis like what had just occurred.

Izzy shook his head, while Motimon blinked and crawled out of his partner's lap and began searching his pockets for his D-terminal. Izzy smiled in amusement, but otherwise addressed Tai. "I haven't heard anything yet, unless it's because the sound on my D-terminal is broken."'

"Don't think so," Motimon answered, crawling back into Izzy's lap with D-terminal in hand. "I don't see anything new."

Tai shrugged. "Well then. Guess we keep waiting."

_At least this time, waiting isn't quite as painful,_ TK inwardly commented.

Ken still looked troubled.

"What's wrong?" Hawkmon, with Yolei, finally asked when his partner seemed to hesitant to do so.

Ken's brow furrowed.

"This bothers me," he began, looking up at TK in particular. "Daemon was in the Dark Ocean, and he was working with Dragomon. I'm – I'm sorry for all the things that he did to you, but I can't help but wonder, why, if he wanted the Dark Spore, and knew that I was involved in the battle... why didn't he come after me? And how come I wasn't a target, like you and Kari?"

Memories of a night filled with digimon, abducted children, evacuations, and an opening to the Dark Ocean rose within his head.

"That's a good question," Davis frowned and set his jaw. "Nice to hear that Daemon's all hunky dory with Dragomon, but then why wouldn't he want to go after his own goals too?"

His words kept everyone silent for a few moments, as everyone thought on it. It was a troubling idea, remembering the amount of power Daemon had held, and thinking about this other development.

TK however, remembering the horrors of the Dark Ocean and having seen Dragomon himself, felt that he had an explanation.

"I think the reason he wasn't coming after you," he spoke softly, "is because Dragomon was more focused on getting Kari and me. Maybe Daemon did want you, but Dragomon I guess... doesn't really have a need for the Dark Spore."

He did not have to explain further. Just his earlier descriptions and the shared experience of the corrupted darkness exploding from the tower was enough to clarify everything for the others. Despite the warmth of the day, a slight chill crept into the group.

Ken frowned, brows furrowing as TK's statement took hold. "That's rather frightening, if you think about it," he shook his head. "That Dragomon is powerful enough that he doesn't need to augment his strength with darkness, but chooses to do so with light instead."

"He took an element and corrupted it," Mimi shivered, both her hands holding onto Tanemon tightly.

"Corrupted darkness is too long a name," Demiveemon suddenly announced, sounding annoyed. "Can't we just call it something like 'Cordar'?"

"That sounds like the name of a planet," Bukamon commented off his statement.

"It might as well be," Tanemon interjected, surprising Mimi with her earnest reply. "I mean, it's another world, and it sounds like it's got different rules than what we're used to."

Upamon grimaced. "Scary."

The short conversation between the digimon had broken the solemnity of the conversation with its absurdity, and TK found himself chuckling, along with several others in the circle.

"Well, if 'corrupted darkness' is what Jigomon called it, maybe we should just stick with it," Cody sighed, poking his partner a little.

A beep cut through the sounds of laughter, and Motimon pressed a few buttons as Izzy smiled and watched the screen. Everyone turned to them, eager to hear what Gennai had to say.

A few moments later, both boy and digimon were too busy staring at the small screen to say anything.

"Uh, so what's it say?" Davis asked when Izzy's jaw slightly dropped.

He did not answer, leaving the others to wonder what had happened to cause this sort of reaction; then he suddenly twisted around to grab his laptop from his bag, leaving Motimon still staring.

"You tell them," he said as he pulled it out and opened the screen, apparently to check something that could only be seen with the hardware capabilities of a laptop rather than a small emailing handheld device.

Motimon slowly put down the D-terminal.

"It's sealed off," he stated. "The Dark Ocean. It's completely sealed off from the rest of the Digiworld."

_No way._

TK sat in shock, along with everyone else in the circle.

"The light from Gennai did this?" Yolei finally gasped out after a few moments of silence.

"It wasn't supposed to," Motimon shook his head. "It wasn't supposed to be strong enough to do that, it was just going to push the corrupted darkness back and close that warp."

"And that means, since we all know there was something extra in that light..."

TK looked straight at Kari, who gazed back in disbelief. He was aware that everyone was staring at them now, awestruck by the realization of how exactly this could have occurred.

_That's... this is... no way, no way that could have been because we were channeling it! _

"You guys are amazing," Tai stated, eyes very wide, and perhaps rather proud. "Absolutely freaking amazing."

"It – it wasn't just us," Kari quickly protested, turning to the others as well, and TK knew exactly what she was talking about. "You guys helped too, I could feel that in the light – right, TK?"

He nodded vigorously. "Yeah, there was the power of everyone's crests and stuff like that..."

"There's a barrier," Izzy suddenly reported, staring at his screen as he apparently gazed at whatever Gennai had sent him. "It's similar to what we made with our crests, but apparently it's put together with the light Gennai sent, and mostly the powers of two crests in particular..."

TK felt his face go hot as everyone around them exploded in praise and amazement. _No way. This can't have happened... _

Except that it had. He remembered the feeling of standing in the middle of what could only be described as a storm, along with the sheer amount of power and energy flowing through him... in all honesty, he had no idea exactly how it had happened. Perhaps the workings of light and darkness were beyond him. But somehow, he and Kari had been involved, and the barrier had been created through them.

He saw the relief on Ken and Leafmon's faces, as they both seemed to realize that the Dark Ocean could never trouble them again; in his own heart, he knew that unless the barrier broke, they would never face another crisis like they just had. The Dark Ocean could not come after Kari, or him... it would no longer linger in his dreams, try to take him away...

He grinned and gave a loud victorious shout, joining in the celebration. Though no one rose to their feet, it did not stop them from crawling over to clap him on the back, or hug Kari, or cheer alongside others; it seemed miraculous, that an ordeal with the Dark Ocean could no longer occur.

_Unless..._

The thought was brought by determination, more than anything else. If that was his choice...

A loud yawn from Tsunomon, who had been fairly quiet the entire time, brought about a silent pause and then another burst of laughter. TK smiled; he had to admit, he was tired, and given the beautiful day and the warm sun, could think of how wonderful it would be to just fall asleep, here on the beach amidst all those he cared about.

Tai stretched his arms, rubbing his eyes and letting himself yawn as well. "Okay then. Izzy, did Gennai want to meet with us?"

The boy in question shook his head. "Not today. He thinks we're tired enough as is; he wants to meet up sometime tomorrow after we've all rested."

Tai smiled. "That's nice of him. Well, decision time. We're all really tired, none of us slept well, and we're all just happy to be alive. Do we take a nap here first, or do we just go home?"

"Nap," came the response from nearly everyone.

TK concurred. He wanted to sleep, and from the pale faces and half-lidded eyes, the others could also use it. The adrenaline that had kept them fighting throughout the battle had dissipated, leaving them drained and in need of rest. Besides, it was a warm day and the location felt safe enough.

"But first," Joe began sternly, "we email our families to let them know everything's fine, that we're going to sleep, and that we'll explain everything when we come home." He gave Davis a pointed look at this statement, and the younger boy just groaned, rolling his eyes.

"But Tai said we could do whatever we wanted with that," he shot back.

Joe frowned.

"I'm telling my family. Both my brothers know what sort of things we've had to deal with, and I won't have to answer awkward questions when these clothes go through the wash," he motioned at his current appearance.

"Well, my family doesn't know as well, and I don't want them to freak out."

"Davis, everyone's family is going to freak out."

The two continued their argument, and TK almost wanted to smile at them, but he already had his own misgivings about explaining everything to his mother. She knew about the Digiworld, and had actively worked with the public to keep the Digidestined in relative anonymity after the defeat of Malomyotismon, and had even helped in terms of finding information and records... and she had known about his difficulty sleeping, having told Matt earlier... Matt...

He involuntarily froze, realizing he would be returning home, separated from his brother and everyone else who had just risked their lives and fought in this battle to save him and stop the corrupted darkness. As much as he wanted to see his mother, wash the salt, blood, and grime off, and sleep in his own bed, he felt a slight fear of those dreams, as well as a distinct need to remain close to at least one of the people who had nearly died that day...

Matt glanced at him, and smiled invitingly. "Hey, why don't you spend the night at my place?"

TK nodded immediately, oddly relieved. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll do that."

The feeling was twofold. It was strange, having that need to have someone nearby, but on Matt's end, he probably still feared the fact that he had almost lost his brother, and wanted to stay together, if at least for one day.

He inwardly smiled, knowing how badly he wanted to see their parents, and that he still had to explain what had occurred, why he could not come home the previous day...

_It would be great... if Mom could come too..._

As the others pulled out their D-terminals to contact their families, he glanced back at Kari again. She had hers out, already typing, and he could not help but notice how weary and tired she looked. She noticed him watching and looked up at him.

"Everything's okay now, right?" she spoke, a soft glimmer in her eye.

He nodded back reassuringly. "Yeah. Better now, even."

She smiled, and almost reluctantly turned back to her email.

He might have sat there and continued to watch her had Matt not tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey," he proffered up his D-terminal. "I figure you should be the one to contact Mom. She wondered why you couldn't talk to her yesterday."

TK let out an uneasy chuckle and accepted it. "Yeah. I'll... I'll explain it to her later, but I'm sure she's worried."

At Matt's nod, he began his email. He saw his brother turn back to Sora, hand tightly clasped with hers; he noticed Tai join them, hugging Sora after everything they had gone through; the others continued to talk in low tones, the digimon beginning to fall asleep while their human partners remained sitting for a little while, though Yolei already lay herself in the sand, pulling Hawkmon close.

_We survived... we're all here. And just in this moment, I'm glad I can be here with everyone too._

With one more glance over his email, he pressed the send button and decided to join the others in a gradual waning into slumber.

* * *

Perhaps it was the proximity to the ocean that woke him before everyone else. When he sat up, covered in sand but feeling warm and refreshed, the others still slept peacefully around him.

Judging from the sun, still high but no longer directly overhead, it was mid afternoon now. He almost returned to sleep, but the sound of the waves and his own, restless mind made him stay up, stretching and rubbing his eyes. His skin felt a little sticky from the dried salty residue, and his clothing stuck to him, which gave him more reason to move.

Yawning, TK pulled himself to his feet, leaving Tokomon snoozing quietly beside the others. He could already feel his muscles starting to tighten and ache in soreness, but he still decided to let himself wander off, away from the others and back towards the ocean.

He had no idea why he was doing this, wandering to the water and seating himself in the warm sand a little ways from the rest of the group. He stared out at the waves, his mind roiling over every single thing that had happened in the last several hours. Especially now, looking out at the ocean from his spot on the beach, events continued playing, and he saw them all, like an old tape that he might have watched over and over, knowing that he had lived it all.

But these waves were sparkling blue, kissed by the bright shining sun and covered with vague reflections of the slightly shaded yellow and purple clouds. It breathed energy, hope, and everything in the world that he held dear.

The stark contrast between this ocean and the one that had nearly claimed his life somehow gave him a sense of peace and longing. Whether it was longing for someone for him to talk to, or an unwilling longing for his stolen death, he did not know.

He sat there for a while, letting his thoughts wander and lose focus, the sound of the waves easing the troubles from mind. The breeze felt nice, cool, soothing... everything, it was so different, despite being fundamentally the same...

Once again, he remembered Jigomon's words back in the dungeon, how once the Dark Ocean had been a thriving place, the beings there living their lives as they did in peaceful times, sharing stories and laughter, celebrating in the moonlight and beauty of the faint light. It scared him to think that the fate which had befallen that realm could have occurred to the one he sat in now, an entire world at the mercy of the being who called himself a god.

Then he summoned up the idea that had sparked the moment they had escaped from the dark realm, the one that now, in his post-battle state only recovering from the ordeal, only seemed to grow.

He barely noticed when another pair of feet stepped up next to him, the figure casting a small shadow upon the sand.

"Can I join you?" Kari asked, both hands behind her back as she bent slightly towards him.

He smiled and nodded. "Of course."

She settled down beside him, stretching out one leg while pulling the other to her chest.

They sat in silence for a few moments, just gazing out at the horizon over the water.

"How is it?" she asked quietly.

TK released a breath, burying one of his hands into the sand. "It's... weird. I know there's no reason for me to worry about it any more, but remembering everything that happened... I don't think I'll be able to stop thinking about the Dark Ocean for a while."

Kari hung her head down, bringing her other leg up to her chest to meet the first.

"It's always there," she said softly, wrapping her arms around her knees. "That feeling that it's not over... that they'll call again, and you'll be pulled over. And the fear that next time, you'll never make it back, and the darkness will swallow you whole."

TK looked at her abruptly, recalling how much she had suffered because of the other realm. She knew exactly what was going through his mind, and what it would be like for him every time he heard waves...

She suddenly smiled, holding up her palm and gazing at it.

"Just knowing that the Dark Ocean's completely sealed off makes me feel a whole lot better though," she laughed, seeming at ease, though she curled up and rested her forehead on her knees.

Struck by a sudden urge to comfort her, TK gently reached one arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him.

She tilted her head up at him. "Now I feel bad, after all this horrible stuff happened to you, yet you're being... you," she finished a little lamely, smiling weakly.

He raised an eyebrow. "I hope that's not a bad thing."

She sat up, resting her hand on his. "No, no... keep being you. And thank you."

They were both silent again, watching the waves while the others continued to sleep behind them. The gentle roar of the ocean echoed warmly around them, filling the air with an ambient sound of both power and movement; the sun sparkled off the water, light reflecting from the flowing surface.

It was a gorgeous sight, and TK felt blessed to be able to see it. He wanted this moment to last, for time to slow so he could absorb the scene and beauty of it all. And for him to be there with the ones he cared about...

"What do you think about that barrier?" he asked, half curious, half still in awe that something of that sort could have been constructed.

Kari sighed softly. "I don't know," she replied sincerely. "I don't know how we were able to help make it, just that we did... and since it was us, as long as we can still stand as who we are, that barrier can probably stay up."

He smiled. "Yeah. We just have to keep true to ourselves, I guess."

"True to ourselves..."

Kari's voice trailed off, and TK turned to her in concern. "What is it?"

There was a pained look on her face. "It's just... there are so many things that happened, and people did things I never expected of them. Ken running off even when he'd been hurt, Matt with his pole, poor Hawkmon when he had Yolei so badly hurt on his back... and Tai..."

She laughed darkly. "It's been a while since we fought side by side like this, and I guess having not done so made me think of him more as two different people than anything else. Him as a big brother, and as a leader. It scared me so much when he decided to use himself to buy us time to reach you... and I had no idea he had any worries about his ability as a leader."

TK closed his eyes. "I could understood where he was coming from. Being in that position, where one choice can be the difference between life and death, knowing that if someone dies then he's the one who bears responsibility... it's got to be hard on him."

"If that's the case, then he's been dealing with this for a while," Kari frowned, gazing down at her knees solemnly. "I mean, we were fighting for our lives a lot, back when the Dark Masters were around. And poor Matt..."

He shook his head wearily. "I know he had to be scared for Sora... and Tai... and me... when it's the people you care about getting hurt, everything just hits closer."

They were silent for a few moments, staring out at the calm waves.

"I'm sure everyone wants to do whatever they can to make sure that something like this doesn't happen again," Kari spoke again, sounding somber. "Or if it does have to happen again, that next time they're ready. I hope this light wakes up again soon," she held up her hand face-up, staring at her palm. "Because if anything, at least knowing that I can heal the others would make me feel better about it."

"It'll come back," TK assured her. "And maybe these powers, they'll pop up with everyone else too."

"And if they don't?"

"... combat training?"

Both of them laughed weakly.

"It sounded like you were really good, fighting on the field," he smiled, feeling proud of her. "Being able to fight back... it felt good. Insane and absolutely terrifying, but good."

Kari glanced back at the slumbering group, and TK saw a certain sword glinting in the sunlight. "I still can't believe Tai's bringing that home," she shook her head.

TK had to grin in spite of himself. "Your parents are not going to be pleased." Then he became serious again. "But yeah... even if we're not very strong, it's better than nothing, and if we can defend ourselves, then the digimon have a little less to worry about in case we get targeted."

Kari shuddered. "It's still scary to think that Daemon actually ordered the Spawn to focus on killing us humans..."

His mind suddenly turned back to that thought, the one which had formed earlier and now only continued to increase in strength. _Combat... fighting... I have to become stronger, if..._

He glanced over at Kari, still gazing out at the ocean.

"I like being here next to you," he suddenly spoke, gazing at her while thinking back to a dimly lit room covered in layers of dust. "Rather than having to talk through a mirror."

She nodded emphatically. "I agree. Especially now that you're not in danger... and all of us are here, together, and safe."

He suddenly felt a pang of guilt as his thoughts turned to that determined rage which had formed into the idea that now seemed to burn brightly in his mind. Almost instinctually, he withdrew his arm back to himself, his intense gaze focused on the sea, taking in each individual splashing wave and the sight of the level tide.

Kari could sense something off. "TK, what's wrong?" she asked, worried as she shifting her position.

He continued to stare out to the sea, not meeting her gaze. He wanted to tell her, but he was afraid of what he knew would be an upset outburst, a new wave of concern and worrying, the exact same reason why he knew he could not tell this to his own brother. But he felt that having been there, having been the one who saved his life, she would understand why he was making this choice.

"Kari..." he started hesitantly. Then he drew up his courage and said it. "When this light power is back, and I'm strong enough... I'm going back to the Dark Ocean to set things right."

"_What_?"

He winced at her high-pitched response. "Shh, not so loud," he hushed her urgently. "I don't want anyone else finding out about this."

She stared at him, eyes wide in horror. "We just got you back!" she cried, though she kept her voice quiet. "You nearly died! And you want to go back to that place? Are you insane?"

"Probably. But I can't leave it like this."

He tried to convey all the sincerity he could into his words and his expression, letting her know how serious he was about this decision. Gazing at her face, he could see that she seemed almost hurt that he would consider throwing himself back into this sort of danger, especially as it was so similar to his decision not long before being pulled into the other realm not twenty-four hours earlier.

"You saw Jigomon, you remember what he did," he spoke, feeling the words coming and beginning to cascade out. "And I told everyone, of what the Dark Ocean used to be before Dragomon came. This world – our world – if the light earlier hadn't stopped everything, if we hadn't managed to help channel it, that's what would have become of this realm too. So much of that city was too similar to our home, and hearing from Jigomon what it used to be like; he told me about things they used to do, they used to watch the moonrise and play music and dance on the beach until dawn and hold festivals and throw seaweed balls at each other, I mean, it used to be a peaceful place, and look what it's like now, and with what happened there and what could have happened here, I can't let it go. I can't, I have to do something.

"I've learned... darkness by itself isn't evil, it's those who choose to use it as a tool to do evil that makes it seem like it. They could do the same for light... they were going to do that to _me_... and Dragomon's corrupted it, made it his, and really, I feel like it all just comes down to him as the source, and if we could find some way to stop him and return the Dark Ocean to what it used to be, I'm sure some of the digimon are in hiding somewhere - "

"I'm going with you."

TK stopped completely, blinking as Kari's words registered in his mind.

"What?" he said dumbly.

"I'm going with you," she repeated, a determined glint in her eyes. "After what happened with the Dark Ocean this time? You're not doing this alone. I'm not letting you."

He scratched his head guiltily. "I... well, uh..."

"You don't have to do things by yourself," she continued, looking oddly fierce and assertive. "I know you don't want anyone else to get hurt, but I have a personal reason to go too. And it's not just because of you."

_Because she's been targeted too._

Normally, he would have wanted her to stay away from the Dark Ocean, safe and out of danger, but he knew better. She was a fighter, a teammate, a friend... they had known each other for so long now, he trusted her with his life. He wanted her at his side.

"All right then," he smiled, relief flooding through him. "We'll do it together." He chuckled a little. "I guess this means we're both insane now."

She laughed with him, a clear sound filled with mirth. "Yup. We are."

It felt strange how quickly that had been settled, but his mind seemed to accept it and keep going forward, running with idea after idea centered on this goal. It was something to focus on, something which he could use to cope with the nightmare of the previous day, and what he had at the time believed to be his final hours. Instead of constantly remembering that suffering, he would use it to prepare for the next encounter – one that would be on his terms, and not those of otherworldly evil.

"Our partners," Kari suddenly spoke, glancing back briefly at the pile of humans and digimon still resting upon the higher slope of the beach. She sighed fondly. "We're not leaving without them either."

TK nodded. "Definitely. I don't think we could do this without them. But..."

His eyes rested briefly on his brother, curled up with Tsunomon as his chest rose up and down with his steady breathing. Then he shifted his gaze to Sora, then Yolei, Tai, Cody, Ken, everyone... and he recalled the feeling of the corrupted darkness in the other realm, how it penetrated everything and lived as part of that realm.

"This is something I think only we should do," he stated, letting himself exhale some of the tension within.

Kari frowned. "No one else?" she quipped, one side of her mouth curving down. "Can we afford that?"

He grimaced. "Right now, no... but, this is more than me not wanting them hurt. It's a light thing. We stand the best chance of fighting and resisting what the Dark Ocean has in it."

She looked unhappy with his words, but seemed to understand. "The light... I guess it would be us, huh?"

"It's who we are," he answered, smiling sadly. "And we're the only ones who can, I guess."

"Then we'll have to be ready," she spoke, turning towards the ocean. Her face turned oddly hard, and he was surprised to see her so suddenly determined and motivated. "We'll have to train, learn how to use our light better... and combat, we'll need to be really good, in case we can't use the light... and we need to be able to support our partners in any way we can."

"But there's the barrier too," he added in, brows furrowing when he thought about it. "It's good that it's there, but there's no way I'm willing to break it, even in trying to go to the Dark Ocean to stop Dragomon."

"We're the ones who helped put it up in the first place," Kari quipped with a smile. "I'm sure we'll figure something out. Even if it takes years."

As TK gazed at her expression, he realized how different she seemed. There was an older, resolute quality to her demeanor that made her seem much more like her brother, someone tired of waiting and being the one in need of protection, and ready to move on the offensive. She had been targeted, her friends hurt, and she knew... she knew the reason why he had been taken. Her reasons and motivation were the same as his. His decision, his idea, had sparked something within her, a fiery hope that was an opportunity to end the threat once and for all.

The barrier that sealed their realm from the other was only something to stop the effects and power of a great evil, not the evil himself.

She smiled up at him, and he saw something in her eyes that seemed alive and ready. "Now I'm glad, actually, that you decided to do this. And - "

She suddenly paused, horror filling her face as she gazed at something that TK had apparently not noticed. "I thought that light healed everything!"

"It didn't?"

Now he panicked a little, wondering what it was that had been left unhealed.

She only continued to stare. "Your... your wrist..."

His eyes widened as he remembered the ritual, the ocean, the corrupted darkness, the tide... and he immediately lifted his hand to look.

There were three thin, barely visible red lines cutting horizontally across.

He immediately brought his other hand to the wrist, gently pressing down. He felt no pain, but there was an odd tenderness at each line. "Scars..." he whispered, turning his other hand over to check as well. He saw identical marks.

They looked at each other, the reality of it sinking in. The darkness, the battle, the struggle for life, all of it – it was there, shown on his skin.

TK clenched his fists. The scars were a distinct reminder of everything that had happened, the trauma, the remnants of a failed ritual... and what he was choosing to see as a sign of his resolve.

"We _will _free that place from Dragomon," he stated, gritting his teeth. "We'll restore it to how it used to be."

Kari gazed at him sadly. "TK..."

"I'm not going to feel sorry for myself," he continued, letting his hands fall to the sand. "I have to accept everything that happened and move on, because I don't want to be trapped in those memories. Besides, there's a new goal now, something I can focus on. I'm going to become stronger, and fight for that future."

He raised his hand again, ignoring the marks on his wrist. Instead, he felt within for the light that had erupted from him so easily, powered by his righteous rage in those dark moments. He thought of his friends, his brother, Patamon, Kari, the ones who had risked so much...

There was a tiny flicker of energy; then it settled once again into slumber.

TK closed his hand gently. "Yeah," he said softly, "I'll fight. To free that world... and protect everyone too."

Kari bit her lip, staring down at the sand.

"But how do we fight a god?" she asked quietly. "A god that can see and feel everything and has full control of an entire world?"

"I don't know," TK admitted, his gaze moving toward the ocean. "But this god is fake. He destroyed the life of a world to make it his, and he was going to do the same to ours."

The horizon, the glimmering waves, the bright, warm colors painted upon the landscape, the rumbling sea, whispering breeze, gentle tide, everything that echoed around them as signs of peace, life, hope, light...

Kari grasped his hand, squeezing it.

"We stopped him though. We survived the battle and everything in the Dark Ocean. And now..."

"We'll go back there," he finished for her, pulling her into an embrace. "We can do it. We can free it from Dragomon, return it to the way it should be. We'll do it together."

They smiled, knowing.

The light was alive within them.

"We'll be its hope."

* * *

**_The End_**

**_To be continued in "The Will of Light"_**

* * *

A/N: Wow. It's been a great ride.

I grew enormously as a writer in writing this story - I don't think I even expected it to go this long, or for the story to reach the scale that it did. Considering that the previous three chapters on the battlefield were originally supposed to be one chapter - I was surprised it turned out the way it did.

Thank you so much everyone who's supported me over the years in writing this. I never expected it to be read as much as it did, and to be completely honest, I probably would have quit writing fanfiction had it not been for this story and everyone's support. So seriously, thank you. Thank you for helping me make it this far and actually finish this story.

Regarding the sequel, I don't know when I'll really begin to focus on it. I _have _started writing it, but there are several aspects to it that I still need to get figured out. Needless to say though, it will take place when TK and Kari are fourteen (they are roughly eleven in this story), and it focuses very strongly on them.

For Zenkyoshi readers, I hope you were able to pick out some of the hints in this chapter? I also hope I didn't make said hints too obvious or out of line.

Feel free to PM me with comments or questions! I'm happy to answer.

And now, for a short omake~

* * *

No one was surprised when they all fell out of the computer into a giant heap on the floor.

"Damn it Tai, your stupid sword..." Matt grumbled as he pushed the metal object away. Thankfully, Tai had had the foresight to bind the sharp edge so no one would get hurt by it when they exited the Digiworld.

"I still can't believe you're actually bringing that back home..." Kari groaned, shaking her head as she pulled herself out from under Joe. She turned back around in an attempt to fish Salamon out of the pile, when she suddenly stopped and stared at herself.

Sora clambered off of Yolei and dusted herself off. "Really I'm just thankful that we're all even going home – whoa."

All six of the younger group, whose clothes always changed when they went to the Digiworld, had had their clothing restored to those they had been wearing before entering it. Which meant...

The entire older group stared jealously, their own clothes ripped and tattered, looking very poor in comparison to their younger counterparts.

"This is so unfair," Tai groaned.

_owari~_


End file.
